Finches and food

17 years ago

A funny thing just happened and I thought that I'd share it with you all.

I feed Niger seed to the finches and wild bird food in the other feeders. I was getting to the end of my food in the bin outside and found a bag that I thought was Niger seed (I didn't have my glasses on and it was a smallish bag lol) and proceeded to pour it in my 2 sock finch feeder. As it started to fill the socks I realized that it was just regular bird seed and in fact I was out of niger seed....so I left it to see if they would eat it anyway. The finches are having a field day!!! I can't believe they are working on getting the seed though the sock. I'll probably have holes in my socks at the end of the day, ah but who cares, I have more socks and they are enjoying it. LOL

I found it interesting. Have any of you fed your finches just regular seed? Did they eat it?

Patti2

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Comments (4)

lilliepad
17 years ago
Hi Patti! Long time no see.LOL
No never fed them regular bird seed but I might try it.That Niger seed is expensive,but last time I bought it I got it at the feed store and it was a little cheaper.I never had any luck with the socks.The finches here seem to prefer the plastic tube thingies with the holes in the sides.All my socks hung out until the seeds molded and I threw them away and got the other kind.Maybe the finches here are just too lazy to work for food!LOL I didn't even put the feeders out last year because we were gone a lot and there wasn't anyone around to keep them filled,but I plan to put them out this year.
P.S.I'm still enjoying the rooster stuff!
nodakgal
17 years ago
My Uncle Gene has had them on his feeder at the nursing home. They pick through the seeds and take the smaller stuff. He ran out of the nyger seed too, but they were about ready to abandon ship this fall anyway.
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alisande
17 years ago
My finches get nothing but black oil sunflower seed. They eat it like crazy. I thought I was giving them something inferior (in their view) to the more expensive niger seed, but I've read that they go for the black oil just as enthusiastically as they do the niger. My experience certainly bears this out.
jemdandy
17 years ago
If I don't put out niger seed, I don't get many finches, yellow finches that is. I do have a few house finches and thesee guys like the black, oil sunflower seeds.

The bird count at my feeders is down to about 1/3 of what it was 10 yrs ago. Birds that have disappeared are: red poll, grosbeaks of all kinds, phoebe (normally not present in winter), and english sparrows. I saw one pair of bluejays only once this winter.

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Finches and food

Comments (4)

lilliepad

nodakgal

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alisande

jemdandy

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