Nyger seed bird feeder

[Toorapid]

I've been given a lovely bird feeder and a bag of seed. Unfortunately though, the feeder is for nyger seed, as I understand it, specifically for goldfinch.

I can use the seed in other feeders I have. I'd like to use the new feeder, so would buy the right seed, but whilst I've seen goldfinch in our local woods I've never seen one in the garden.

Might the feeder bring them in? Will other birds try the nyger seed?

Should bring them in. We
Have one, think I saw goldfinches within a couple Of weeks but they come and go definitely don't see them every day

Goldfinches fo come to gardens but they are quite fickle and flighty! Beautiful things to have around if you can get them, and the winter might make them extra keen.

Did you know a flock of goldfinches is called a charm? How lovely is that

Yes we never saw any until we got a Nyger seed feeder. They still aren’t regular visitors but we do see them from time to time.

Try it, there's a good chance it will bring them in. My DM had none in her garden but gets loads since she put up the feeder. They are beautiful, and dont 'steal' the feed left out for other birds, they stick with the nyger.

If you put out nyger seed the they will come. It might take a few months though.

Nyger seed is great and the finches love it but they chuck it everywhere and it germinates and grows very quickly. If you use it make sure you get sterile seed, it ruined the patch of grass where my feeders are.

They will probably come in, but it can take weeks. They are quite cautious of anything new, they will check it out but not use it for ages. The good thing is that other birds can't cope with the tiny seeds, so you won't get crows and pigeons scoffing the lot.

Birds will stay pretty much under cover unless there is a good reason not to, ie food!

We had a nyger seed feeder that had 20 feeding perches. 20! There were so many goldfinches they still used to squabble and fight over it!

It will also attract siskins, pretty little birds.

Yeah they do take ages! We never had a nyger feeder bit did have a little window feeder on our flat with sunflower hearts- it took 14 months!! They were about but never came near. When they did, they were all over it- loads and loads of them all the time, they brought their babies in the spring and they’d all be hopping along the windowsill.

They have the most beautiful song and chatter.

Next door had gold, so I also got a nyger and put in garden but they didn't come (about two weeks) in saw one near It, do you think I should put it back, I moved it again.

@WineTastingNotTimeWasting ah that’s a wonderful selection! We’re in Ealing now so quite urban, a small selection of coal, blue and great tits and a Robin is all we get these days but we love them. Funnily enough, even though I put out the hearts, every one of them only seems to be interested in red berry flavour suet pellets- they go mad for them. I think they’re only supposed to be for the Robin. They only eat hearts at a push when they’ve eaten all the pellets. I think they’re high energy and probably like Mars bars for birds...they’re junk food addicts around here, clearly!

I get a LOT of goldfinches in my garden, but mine are much more interested in sunflower hearts than nyger seeds.

I do have a single sparrow visitor who absolutely loves nyger seed. She’s not very good at sitting on the feeder, but has worked out that if she sits on a tiny little branch next to it she can still reach the food. She just sits there all day, stuffing her little face with nyger seed. So, even if you don’t get any goldfinches, some other bird might take a liking to your feeder!

I forgot to add, it took quite a long time before goldfinches started visiting my garden...five years in fact! Hopefully it won’t take quite that long for you!

What an unfortunate brand name! I'm presuming that the "y" is long.

I couldn't get any goldfinches to come with the nyjer seed. I get loads with sunflower hearts though. And greenfinches.

Sheleg
What an unfortunate brand name! I'm presuming that the "y" is long.

It's not a brand name, the seeds are from the nyger plant and is pronounced nye jerr. There's nothing unfortunate about it.

@Crazzzycat are you sure your single sparrow isn’t a dunnock? I only ask as only experience they’re pretty good at figuring out feeders, can be pretty solitary unlike sparrows, and look similar- that’s why they used to be called tree sparrows.

Wonderful, I shall place my order today.

We had a sparrow hawk try and grab an early snack from our bird feeder yesterday. All the birds scattered except one little bull finch who just carried on eating the seeds

@SmidgenofaPigeon it’s a good question, but my little nyger loving bird is definitely a sparrow. She fledged really late in the season and I think she just worked out that it’s much easier to eat these strange little seeds than to waste energy competing with the more experienced birds for food from the other feeders!

@Crazzzycat aww bless her- I’m glad she found an easy meal :)

This has reminded me to get some Nyger seed and a feeder . There are Goldfinches around but I don’t get them on my feeders very often, too much competition from Sparrows and other birds I think. I used to have Greenfinches but not for a few years, I think they must have been destroyed by that disease they are getting.

Siskins and redpolls will eat nyjer seed too, but they all probably love sunflower hearts more.