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The American Goldfinch Perhaps one of the most popular birds to attract is the American Goldfinch. In speaking with other backyard birders, it is fair to say the the beautiful appearance of the male in Spring and Summer is a main reason for such popularity. I would suggest also that it is due to the relative ease with which this bird can be attracted. Keep in mind, the bright yellow bird is the MALE American Goldfinch. In the winter, he molts and looks like the female--a sort of brown or dull green. The American Goldfinch will eat many seeds including:
Of these, thistle is your best choice!! The reason?
What Are Your Feeder Options?What Are Your Feeder Options?There are several options for feeding the Anmerican Goldfinch thistle. Let's take a look....
Thistle Tube Feeder The thistle tube feeder is the most popular option. This feeder is a cylindrical tube feeder with perches and small holesfor ports. The significant advantage to this option is that the seed is well protected from the elements. This is important because thistle has a way of gunking up, especially as the seed ages and moistens from the rain. Though leading companies such as Droll Yankee, Aspects and Vari-crafts all manufacture excellent thistle tube feeders, my recommendation is a Bird Quest product (at right). The reason?
The Upside Down Feeder is a tube feeder manufactured by Perky Pet. This feeder is a control mechanism that forces birds to hang upside on the feeder to reach the port beneath the perch. Why on earth would want to force your birds to do this?Becuase it brings thistle eating pests like the sparrow under control. How? A sparrow is a perching bird, not a clingingbird. therefor, he can not hang upside down to eat. Make no mistake, you will have the American Goldfinch dining in peace if you use an upside down thistle feeder. The trade-off is two fold, however.
You'll use it a season, maybe two, before you have to replace it. Fortunately, this feeder is not pricey, and there is an upgrade you can purchase that features metal instead of plastic perches. Mesh Feeder
Again, the American Goldfinch is a clinger, not a percher. This distinction makes the use of a mesh thistle feeder a great option. Unlike a tube, the mesh thistle feeder gives access to the side in hundreds of places. The result? Lots of birds!!There are a lot of these feeders on the market, and I've tested many of them. Without question, the best model on the market right now is built by Backyard Nature Products. Why do I prefer this thistle mesh feeder over the others? 3 reasons:
There is one negative of using the mesh feeder. By design, the seed is exposed to the elements and thistle is renowned for gunking up when dampened. That's why I like the Backyard Nature Product so much--easy access to the feeder's bottom. My advice should you choose to use this feeder style is to fill it only 1/2 way when you start. See how long it takes thebirds to eat the thistle. If it's quick--a day or two, then fill it to 3/4. Still cleaning it out quick? Fill it full!!If rain becomes a real problem, you can always add a weather guard. Sock FeederReally, the sock feeder is a mesh feeder in its simplest form. It's merely a pouch with holes in it allowing birds to cling.People love this feeder for its simplicity. However, this feeder is very vulnerable to the elements and will not hold up but a few months. I urge those hooked on the pouch to upgrade to the metal mesh feeder. If you don't you'll be buying the sock over and over again. Final Note Whatever feeder you choose to use, do not hang your thistle feeder right next to other feeder. Rather, try to isolate it a bit. Say, by 5 feet or so. the American Goldfinch is easily dominated and even though medium and large sized birds don't eat thistle, just their presence will run off your birds. I hope you found this article about the American goldfinch useful. Click here for more great information about bird feeders and bird houses.
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