Backyard Q & A: Answers For Those Who Want To Get A Perfect Goldfinch Garden

Adorable, beautiful goldfinches are a welcome guest in any garden, but sometimes it can be difficult to make them notice your yard. If you want to create the perfect goldfinch paradise, you'll need to know the answers to a few key questions first.

What Feeder And Seeds Do Goldfinches Like?

Finches are generally small and travel in large groups, which means feeders with limited perch space will be unwelcoming to goldfinches. Tube feeders with many small perches will likely draw goldfinches, as will long seed socks. Bird feeders with trays may also work if the tray and its accompanying perch are both long enough to accommodate many little birds. Avoid low-capacity feeders and ones with few perches, as these can lead to competition among birds.

As for what to put into your feeders, goldfinches are especially partial to niger thistle and sunflower seeds. Millet is another favorite, but its popularity among virtually all species of birds could attract unwanted visitors if you only want finches in your garden.

Are Birdbaths And Fountains Attractive To Them?

Finches in general love to bathe often and have easy access to clean water, and goldfinches are no exception. Small fountains and birdbaths near your garden feeders will be sure to entice finches into your yard. Fountains are especially attractive to finches because the running water makes bathing easier.

Do Specific Plants Draw Goldfinches In?

Absolutely! Plants with tasty seeds, soft grasses for nest-building, and dense shrubs that provide shelter are all popular with finches.

For seed plants that will draw them in, choose sunflower, thistle, dandelion, and assorted wildflowers. The seeds of these plants are easily accessible, and a finch is more likely to recognize the blooms from further away, giving it a reason to stop by your yard. Plants that keep finches in your yard include cattails, milkweed, and tall grasses, which can all be used for building nests. Typical garden shrubs and tall bushes, like camellias, also provide a safe shelter for goldfinch nests.

How Can You Protect Visiting Finches?

Goldfinches are small and have many predators. In order to keep them from being an easy meal, make sure feeders and baths are placed so that they can easily spot cats or predator birds approaching from both above and below. It's also best to have multiple feeders and baths in your yard to reduce competition between finches and much larger birds, as well.

You should also regularly change the water in baths and fountains and wipe them out if they get too dirty. This will help prevent disease from spreading among your winged visitors.

If you've had trouble attracting goldfinches to your garden, you can hopefully use these tips to turn it into the perfect finch habitat. With a little luck and a lot of seed, you might see the little yellow birds start flocking to your yard. Click here for information about bird houses for sale.


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