You can identify goldfinches with their bright yellow color. They are generally of three types and all belong to the Fringillidae bird family. Now, if you want to attract goldfinches to your backyard or you love watching them, then let’s dive in and get to know what they love. In this guideline, you will learn what to feed them and how you can attract them.
What are The Types of Goldfinches in The United States?
Three types of golden features are seen in the United States:
- The American Goldfinch where the male has bright yellow feathers, a black cap, and a wing with a white bar. The female is also yellow but a little duller and the olive version
- Lawrence Goldfinch is the least common bird and also it has been identified by bold mark. The males have a black cap and face with yellow wings and grey plumage. The females are less yellow without any black markings.
- Lesser goldfinches are smaller in size than American goldfinches where the males have bright yellow feathers with olive and black back and a white patching on the wing. The females are pale yellow or olive green.
What is So Impressive About Goldfinches?
Goldfinches are desired by every backyard owner because of their colorful feathers and jolly attitude. They are quite active, social birds and it is quite exciting to watch them hop from here and there. These energetic flocks feed on seeds and also prevent weeds in the garden. They also have a very musical vocal and twittering quality, which makes them fun to hear. These goldfinches are found all year round and by understanding their behavioral changes, you can learn a lot about this bird.
Where are Goldfinches Found?
The goldfinches are found throughout the United States, Southern Canada, North and Eastern Mexico, California, Arizona, and also along the Pacific coast.
What Do These Goldfinches Eat?
The goldfinches eat plant seeds, along with coneflowers, sunflowers, asters, cosmos, poppy zinnias, sedums, marigolds, etc. They are also attracted to weed flowers like dandelions; they also enjoy sunflower hearts and chips. These goldfinches are also attracted to wild finch mixes and Nyjer seeds.
How To Attract Goldfinches?
With an appropriate amount of food, water, shelter, and nesting sites, you can attract these colorful birds to your garden. Here is a guideline that you can stick to –
Installing a Bird Feeder
While installing a bird feeder for the goldfinches, you have to use multiple feeders or a large one as these birds prefer to travel in flocks and you need to accommodate all the birds at once.
Install Water Basin
Goldfinches would return to your garden or backyard if you can keep waterers and bath basins. They can enjoy bathing and drinking water, but the bath should be shallow as the birds are small. They would feel comfortable if the basin is 1 to 1.5 inches deep where you can add rocks to add depth to the basin. However, you need to clean the water spaces every day to avoid algae growth or any bacterial infection. You can also add a dripper or solar fountain to draw the attention of the goldfinches or gain their trust by providing them with a hygienic drinking space.
Provide Shelter
Goldfinches seek shelter under two conditions: one is threatened by a predator or when the weather gets adverse. They usually prefer thicket-like plantings to stay safe, so you can create densely layered plantings of deciduous or evergreen plants in your backyard. These should be against the wall or a fence can be put around it, so that it remains sturdy when the wind breaks in. This would be an ideal retreat for the goldfinches and they would prefer to stay.
Nesting Site
Other than seeking shelter, these goldfinches also look for nesting sites which should be 50 times more protected than a regular shelter. They usually do not go for man-made nesting boxes or birdhouses and pick up natural elements to create their own nest. They typically start collecting and creating the next around June with dandelion, thistle, or milkweed and also often using natural cotton. So, if you want the goldfinches to build a nest in your yard, then you need to make it goldfinches-friendly and wait patiently so that the birds can trust your yard and understand that it is safe for them to lay eggs. You can also gain their trust by trying to provide them with food sources during the winter when food resources get scarce.
Recreate the Backyard
If you want the goldfinches to hover and play around in the backyard, then you need to make it goldfinches-friendly. They do not prefer crowded places, so there is no point making your backyard congested with bird feeders, also the lawn grass is not suitable for the goldfinches, so you need to include more native flowers and shrubs and keep the field open and weedy with shrubs. You can plant sunflowers or other large-flowered plants such as black-eyed Susans to attract these goldfinches. You can also add their favorite cup plant which is a food source and also has sunflower-like blooms.
Will Providing Suets Attract Goldfinches?
Yes, goldfinches are attracted to suets, especially during the fall and winter, but you need to put them in a shady space so that the birds can get a constant supply of seeds throughout the year.
