When you are trying to attract finches to your backyard feeding area, there are a few things that might surprise you, but that you need to know if you want to attract and keep finch coming to your yard all year.
First and for most you need to know where to purchase your Nyjer/Niger/Thistle seed, which is a favorite for finches along with sunflower seeds.
You should never go to a super store, grocery store, or your choice of dollar stores.
You probably will be able to find the thistle seed and the price will be cheaper, but chances are you won't attract any finch, and if you have finch already, they probably won't eat it.
Most of the thistle seed they carry has been sold by a wild bird feed store after it has turned six (6) month old.
The wild bird stores prices are higher because they purchase the thistle seed in smaller quantities and more often.
Thistle seed is not raised here in the U.
S.
, most of it comes from Singapore, Ethiopia and Burma.
When the seeds turns six months old from the time it is picked it is getting too old for the finch to enjoy.
Finches are a bit particular when it comes to their eating.
You can get by with older sunflower seed, but not the thistle seed.
Second, finches like to have a clean feeder, they don't want to eat from dirty dishes any more than you would.
Also, dirty feeders can spread disease, so if you are using the steel wire feeder, be sure that it is cleaned often and dried well before refilling with thistle.
Even though they are a bit more work to keep, they will not need to be replaced as often as the plastic ones.
You can also use a net sack, the finch love them but if you have any squirrels around they will need to be replaced often.
Thirdly, all birds need clean drinking water and water to bath.
Keep a birdbath filled with clean fresh water.
It should be cleaned every morning and filled with fresh water.
Birds are attracted to a trickling of water, running water is almost like a magnet for most wild birds, if it is possible, if not they will learn to love any birdbath as long as it is clean One last thing you can do to please your finch families, you can keep their feeders away from other feeders and add a perch to your feeding setup so the birds have a waiting place if the feeder is full.
For the most enjoyment your feeders should be placed 5 to 6 feet from a form of protection possibly a tree, shrub or a brush pile.
This is a good distance for the wild birds to see a predator that is waiting for an opportunity to attack.
It also gives the birds a place to fly to when they see a predator flying over.
Your feeders can be placed in a location so you can observe them and readily watch the beautiful colored finch and other birds as they feed.
You can implement gardening techniques in your yard to attract finches.
Plants of the sunflower family consisting of blanket flowers, coneflowers, sunflowers, grasses and ornamental thistles are usually liked by finches, remember never to deadhead the blooms as it is the seeds that your finches desire.
If it is possible to let these flowers just to grow wild, you could get beautiful colored finches all through the winter.
If you don't have any evergreen trees of few of these will give the finches nesting and protective cover from the wind and severe weather elements.
If you follow all of the above suggestions you should not have any problems attracting many finch families to your yard and keep them coming back year after year.
First and for most you need to know where to purchase your Nyjer/Niger/Thistle seed, which is a favorite for finches along with sunflower seeds.
You should never go to a super store, grocery store, or your choice of dollar stores.
You probably will be able to find the thistle seed and the price will be cheaper, but chances are you won't attract any finch, and if you have finch already, they probably won't eat it.
Most of the thistle seed they carry has been sold by a wild bird feed store after it has turned six (6) month old.
The wild bird stores prices are higher because they purchase the thistle seed in smaller quantities and more often.
Thistle seed is not raised here in the U.
S.
, most of it comes from Singapore, Ethiopia and Burma.
When the seeds turns six months old from the time it is picked it is getting too old for the finch to enjoy.
Finches are a bit particular when it comes to their eating.
You can get by with older sunflower seed, but not the thistle seed.
Second, finches like to have a clean feeder, they don't want to eat from dirty dishes any more than you would.
Also, dirty feeders can spread disease, so if you are using the steel wire feeder, be sure that it is cleaned often and dried well before refilling with thistle.
Even though they are a bit more work to keep, they will not need to be replaced as often as the plastic ones.
You can also use a net sack, the finch love them but if you have any squirrels around they will need to be replaced often.
Thirdly, all birds need clean drinking water and water to bath.
Keep a birdbath filled with clean fresh water.
It should be cleaned every morning and filled with fresh water.
Birds are attracted to a trickling of water, running water is almost like a magnet for most wild birds, if it is possible, if not they will learn to love any birdbath as long as it is clean One last thing you can do to please your finch families, you can keep their feeders away from other feeders and add a perch to your feeding setup so the birds have a waiting place if the feeder is full.
For the most enjoyment your feeders should be placed 5 to 6 feet from a form of protection possibly a tree, shrub or a brush pile.
This is a good distance for the wild birds to see a predator that is waiting for an opportunity to attack.
It also gives the birds a place to fly to when they see a predator flying over.
Your feeders can be placed in a location so you can observe them and readily watch the beautiful colored finch and other birds as they feed.
You can implement gardening techniques in your yard to attract finches.
Plants of the sunflower family consisting of blanket flowers, coneflowers, sunflowers, grasses and ornamental thistles are usually liked by finches, remember never to deadhead the blooms as it is the seeds that your finches desire.
If it is possible to let these flowers just to grow wild, you could get beautiful colored finches all through the winter.
If you don't have any evergreen trees of few of these will give the finches nesting and protective cover from the wind and severe weather elements.
If you follow all of the above suggestions you should not have any problems attracting many finch families to your yard and keep them coming back year after year.
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