Golfinches have stopped coming to a Goldfinch feeder

[Don Morris]

I have a Goldfinch feeder: the hole is below the perch. For years I've had Goldfinches come to get Niger seed. I've cleaned the feeder, put new seed in, etc. This year, I've had only a couple all year. I've had as many as 6 feeding on the feeder at once in previous years. This year...I've seen only two in 4 months. I heard years ago the finch population had an eye infection problem, but my other regular feeder gets house finches on occasion. Anyone else have a decrease in Goldfinch population this year? I live in just NW of Washington, DC.

[Ted Calver]

A friend was visiting the garden recently, saw the finches feeding and accused me of stealing all the finches, since none had been using their feeder. Mine seem to be feeding normally. A small flock of about ten birds use my feeder, which is similar to yours. At various times of the season there is competition from natural sources... like various marsh grasses in my area near the coast....that reduce the number of birds using the feeders. Another factor could be rancid seed. I store mine in a conditioned space so it stays fresh longer. If it sits in a metal can in the hot sun it can go bad in a hurry. Hope there is nothing wrong with the population. I sure enjoy the color in the garden.

[Myk Rian]

Try thistle seed.

[David Weaver]

I have also seen fewer this year, but I figured it's because my seed is from last year, and also because it's the only thing I've put out (sunflower seed prices blew up last year, so I quit putting that out. It certainly cut back on the squirrel traffic to not have that out).

[Sean Hughto]

I live in Chevy Chase, and have noticed the same thing with our niger/thistle feeder. I've only seen a handful of goldfinches this year, where in years past we'd see them as commonly as cardinals. Maybe call Audubon at Woodend and ask them if there is an explanation for their lower numbers and if there are any foods better than niger to offer?

[Sam Murdoch]

At my feeders the goldfinches gave up on the fresh niger/thistle and are at the tube feeder with my combo mix of hulled black sunflowers and woodpecker mix (which is mostly nuts and berries). It seems that this is a combination that all the birds (and gray /red squirrels and chippies and raccoons and turkeys and foxes :eek:) prefer. The gold finches and other finches gang the tube feeder and couldn't care less about the thistle feeder, at least that is the status this summer.

[Kevin Bourque]

I live on a farm and most of the missing birds, bunnies, chipmunks, squirrels, etc. can be blamed on hawks, foxes, and barn cats. If you live in a neighborhood or in the city it's most likely cats.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My wife used to have several feeders that were frequented by finches and other birds. Then after we were sitting on the patio and over a period of a couple months she witnessd 4 hawks grab their supper just a few feet away from the patio, she did away with the feeders......

[Larry Frank]

I have not seen as many of the gold finches this year either. Maybe the weather has caused them to move elsewhere. I still have lots of the other birds that I normally see.

I suspect that the current very hot dry weather will cause the birds a lot of stress. I try to keep water available to the birds and keep a shaded area somewhat watered so that there will be a good place for the birds.

[Jason Roehl]

I've actually STARTED to see goldfinches. I've lived in the Lafayette area for roughly 20 years (several different places), and just the past year or so I have started to see them around our property after having lived here for 5 years now. I've also seen more cardinals in recent years, but not many this year.

[Don Morris]

Thanks for the ideas people. Will try fresh seed. The feeder is too high for cats and there is plenty of protective type trees and bushes around for them to go to in case a hawk comes around, although one has been seen swooshing through the yard. We designed the yard so birds would have protective cover. A call to Woodend (Audubon Society facility nearby) is in order. I called their business office once before but never got a response. Have been there several times and purchased seed and wren homes, etc. Talked to the people at their sales desk, but they're just volunteers and definitely not ornithologists. Tis a puzzlement.

[Mark Patoka]

I've noticed the same thing recently. I just assumed that it's cyclical and they are finding food somewhere else and will come back to feed once the weather gets cooler and other food sources dry up. That's my assumption at least. I do make sure the thistle food is dry and clean so that shouldn't be a problem.

We do have a problem with grackles (sp?) coming in and dominating our regular bird feed which will chase away the cardinal and blue jays for a time period. A bunch of those will come in, clean out the feeder in short order and then move on. They don't bother the nearby finch feeder so I don't think that would be a cause.

[Jim Becker]

Try thistle seed.

Niger seed is a type of oily thistle seed...
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OP, bird patterns seem to be different this year, likely because of the weather patterns. We're seeing things we don't normally see, and not seeing old friends...and goldfinches have been few and far between so far.

[Larry Frank]

Just as soon as I commented about not seeing them, I had three male goldfinches on the feeder at once this morning. I do not always notice the females as there color is on the drab side.

[Matt Marsh]

We have goldfinches hanging off the tube feeders like grapes here right now. They haven't been interested in the niger for some time. They are however, going through 50 lbs of medium sunflower chips in about two-three weeks right now at $58 per bag. I have never been able to put a finger on "why" or "when", but since I started feeding the birds back in the early 80s, the popularity of the niger seed at the feeders greatly varies throughout the year. Black oil sunflower seeds stay a favorite all year long. Goldfinces have small beaks however, and they have a harder time cracking the hulls open than other species do. So thats where the chips come in. They seem to favor the medium size. The fine is just too fine, and it cakes up in the feeders.

I offer niger, whole black oilers, medium chips, and homemade PB suet cakes year round, add whole suet from fall through spring. Summertime I add grape jelly/water mix for the orioles, 4 to 1 sugar nectar for the orioles and hummingbirds. The monthly bird feed bill is expensive, but we'd get rid of the cable TV first if we needed to cut back.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Itasca_mn/Birds/IMGP4817goldie-1.jpg

[Ted Calver]

... The monthly bird feed bill is expensive, but we'd get rid of the cable TV first if we needed to cut back.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Itasca_mn/Birds/IMGP4817goldie-1.jpg

I agree..the critters are much more entertaining than the tube

[Mike Cruz]

Don, they are plentiful up here in Washington County...about an hour north of you. Maybe they are trying to get away from the 104 degree temps you had the other day!