Greenfinches around here, SW London, appear to prefer sunflower hearts
but will readily take nyger seed as well. Siskins on the other hand
tend to prefer nyger but will also sometimes take sunflower hearts. The
advantage of providing nyger seed is that squirrels don't bother with it
so there's always seed for the greenfinches and siskins. It's rare for
greenfinches to take nyger seed and peanuts around here.



Message from Sue on Sat, 27 May 2006
15:19:40 Mealworms:


"Sacha Hubbard" wrote
On Thu, 25 May 2006 16:56:47 +0100, doobydoobydo wrote
PS it is the goldfinches that love nyger seed its the greenfinches I
think that love the sunflower hearts and sunflowers whole. Don't
forget you need a special feeder for Nyger as it apparently blows
away easily. Nyger and thistle seed hangers have just a slit in the
tube rather than a hole.
snip


Thanks and yes, I'd mixed up my finches! We have a clear plastic tube
feeder for the niger seed and it seems to do the trick of containing
that very fine seed. I've posted at the bird group a couple of times
and they are indeed, very helpful but I do find that most of the
fairly simple stuff I 'need to know' is answered here because most
gardeners seem to take a pretty keen interest in the birds and other
wildlife in their own garden or neighbourhood.

The greenfinches around here will feed on the nyger seed and peanuts as
well as black sunflower seed. For a long time after I started putting it
out, it was only greenfinches that would come to the nyger, but happily
goldfinches arrived when it snowed on New Year's Day and have returned
almost daily ever since. They all seem to take turns somehow, and it's
left to me to chase off the marauding squirrel in between times.


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