How to Attract Finches to Feeder Stations: Goldfinches, House Finches, and More

How to attract finches to feeder stations comes down to what finches eat and how they eat it. Fill a small-port tube or fine mesh feeder with fresh nyjer, offer sunflower chips or black oil sunflower in a second feeder, hang both about 10 feet from shrubs or small trees, keep a shallow bath clean, and let coneflowers and other sunflower-family plants go to seed. Which finches show up depends on where you live and the time of year, so the steps below start with the species, then cover seed, feeders, plants, the finch calendar, and what to check when the feeder sits untouched.

This guide covers attracting wild finches to backyard feeders. It is not advice on diagnosing or treating sick birds or raising young ones. If you see a finch with red, swollen, or crusty eyes, or find a sick, injured, or orphaned bird, do not handle, feed, or medicate it; contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or your state wildlife agency.

How to Attract Finches to Feeder Stations: Know Your Local Finches

This guide covers five North American finches: American Goldfinch, House Finch, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and, in parts of the West, Lesser Goldfinch. All five eat mostly seeds, but they do not share a range or a calendar. The Audubon field guide entries for each species describe where and when to expect them:

Two details in those entries save a lot of second-guessing. First, the Purple Finch problem in the Northeast is not about your feeder: Audubon says competition with introduced House Sparrows and then House Finches may have driven Purple Finches back into the woods there. The Missouri Department of Conservation calls the Purple Finch a winter resident in that state, so a Missouri yard is unlikely to see one from May through September. Second, the goldfinches you saw in summer may still be there in winter. Audubon says winter goldfinches vary from yellowish brown to gray, with bold wing bars on black wings, and the Missouri Department of Conservation goldfinch page says the winter male resembles the female. Check the dull birds on the nyjer feeder before you decide the goldfinches left.

Step 1: Offer Nyjer, Sunflower Chips, and Black Oil Sunflower

Start with nyjer. Project FeederWatch says nyjer, often called thistle, comes from Guizotia abyssinica, a plant native to Africa, and is not related to North American thistles, and that it attracts finches including American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, and Common Redpoll. Penn State Extension says niger is popular because it attracts goldfinches, House Finches, and Purple Finches, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bird feeding sheet names the same three. FeederWatch adds that nyjer is best fed by itself, not in a mix, to prevent waste.

Sunflower is the other half of a finch menu. FeederWatch lists black oil sunflower among the favorite feeder foods of finches, and Audubon says House Finches come to feeders especially for sunflower seeds. Nebraska Extension lists thistle and sunflower hearts as the foods that attract American Goldfinch, House Finch, and Pine Siskin. It also says a good finch mix contains only fine sunflower chips and nyjer seed, and it advises avoiding commercial finch mixes with millet, canary grass seed, and other fillers that finches reject, because those end up scattered on the ground. That ingredient line is the first thing to read on any bag of finch seed.

Our suggestion for a starting setup is two feeders: one with straight nyjer and one with sunflower chips or black oil sunflower. That follows the Audubon Guide to Bird Feeding, which says to offer sunflower seeds, nyjer, and peanuts in separate feeders. If you also want cardinals, jays, or ground feeders, the other types of bird seed (safflower, millet, peanuts) go in their own feeders too, so each crowd eats without emptying the finch feeder onto the lawn.

Step 2: Keep the Seed Fresh and Dry

Nyjer has a specific shelf life problem. Nebraska Extension explains that imported nyjer is sterilized with heat to avoid introducing non-native plants, that the process gives it a short shelf life, and that finches will reject old nyjer seed. FeederWatch also says nyjer is heat-treated before import to prevent sprouting. So nyjer is the clearest case of bird seed going bad: a tube of stale nyjer can look full and clean and still sit untouched for weeks.

Sunflower chips have a different weakness. FeederWatch says hulled sunflower should be kept dry because it spoils more quickly than sunflower in the shell. The Fish and Wildlife Service sheet warns that unclean feeders and rotting, moldy seed can make birds sick and spread disease, and it says to keep bird seed dry. These habits follow from those sources (they are our suggestions, not rules from the pages above):

• Fill to match demand. If two or three goldfinches visit, fill the nyjer feeder partway and top it up more often, instead of leaving a full tube to age.
• Check after rain. Look at the bottom of the tube or mesh for clumped or dark seed and empty it if you find any.
• Store bags closed and dry. Keep the bag in a sealed container out of the weather, and start a fresh bag if the finches stop eating an old one.

Step 3: Hang a Feeder Finches Can Cling To

Finches feed by clinging. Audubon describes American Goldfinches climbing about acrobatically on plants such as thistles to reach the seeds, and Pine Siskins sometimes hanging upside down to reach seeds. Feeders built for nyjer use that habit. FeederWatch says nyjer needs a feeder with very small feeding ports, which keep the seed from falling to the ground, and its feeding guidelines say tube feeders with short perches accommodate small birds such as finches but exclude larger birds such as grackles and jays.

Short perches do not stop every unwanted visitor. Nebraska Extension says House Sparrows can still use the small perches on tube feeders, and that if they become a problem, cutting the perches to 5/8 inch should exclude them while still letting finches, chickadees, and siskins perch. For grackles, starlings, Brown-headed Cowbirds, or crows, the Fish and Wildlife Service sheet suggests feeding only safflower and thistle, with thistle only in a thistle feeder with upside-down feeding ports.

When you pick a finch feeder, look for openings that match your seed and parts that come apart for washing: fine mesh or tiny ports for nyjer, larger ports or a tray for sunflower chips, and a cap or base you can remove without tools.

Step 4: Place Feeders Near Cover, and Spread Them Out

Audubon describes American Goldfinch habitat as semi-open areas with open weedy ground and some trees and bushes for shelter, including suburban areas. A feeder in the middle of a bare lawn offers the seed without the shelter. FeederWatch recommends placing feeders close to natural cover, such as trees or shrubs, where birds can wait their turn, and warns that cover too close gives squirrels and cats a jump-off point; it suggests about 10 feet as a good compromise.

Spacing matters at finch feeders for a reason specific to finches. Project FeederWatch’s House Finch eye disease page asks people to space feeders widely to discourage crowding. In practice, that means hanging the nyjer feeder and the sunflower feeder on separate hooks or poles rather than side by side, so a flock spreads out between them.

Step 5: Add a Shallow Source of Water

FeederWatch says birds are attracted to water for drinking and bathing just as they are to feeders, that they seem to prefer baths at ground level though raised baths attract birds as well, and that the water should be changed every day. For a bath on the ground, it suggests a few branches or stones in the water so birds can drink without getting wet, which it calls particularly important in winter, and it names dripping water as one of the best ways to make a birdbath more attractive. In the dry Southwest, water may matter even more: Audubon says the Lesser Goldfinch, in dry country, is usually found close to water.

Step 6: Let Sunflower-Family Plants Go to Seed

Feeders supplement what finches find on plants. Audubon says the American Goldfinch diet is primarily seeds, especially those of the daisy (composite) family, along with weed and grass seeds and small seeds of trees such as elm, birch, and alder. The Missouri Department of Conservation says goldfinches feed in fields with mature sunflowers, thistles, and other members of the sunflower family, and Audubon says Pine Siskin flocks often descend on fields of thistles or wild sunflowers to cling to the dried flower heads.

The garden sources name specific plants. Penn State Extension says it is common to see goldfinches in a stand of purple coneflower, and that black-eyed Susan and oxeye sunflower seeds are other favorites. Audubon’s article on plants for a bird-friendly yard says coneflowers provide seeds for goldfinches in fall and advises checking which coneflower species are native to your region; it also lists native sunflowers and says American Goldfinches use milkweed fiber to build nests and the downy part of the seed to line them.

The step that costs nothing is not cutting those plants back too early. Clemson Cooperative Extension says deadheading coneflowers should be delayed because the seed heads are very attractive to goldfinches in winter, and the National Wildlife Federation recommends leaving seed heads intact, noting that juncos and goldfinches enjoy the dried flower heads of asters, coneflowers, and other native plants. FeederWatch makes the broader case that planting native plants is one of the best ways to support bird populations, even in a small container garden or window boxes. On a balcony, a pot of native coneflowers beside a small nyjer tube follows the same idea on a smaller scale.

The Finch Calendar: What to Expect Through the Year

Goldfinches keep a schedule unlike most backyard birds. Audubon calls the American Goldfinch a late nester in most regions, beginning in midsummer, with the majority of nesting in July and August, perhaps to match the peak supply of late-summer seeds for its young. The Missouri Department of Conservation calls it one of the latest nesting species in that state and ties the timing to the development of thistle, coneflower, sunflower, and other composite-family seeds.

Keep Finch Feeders Clean: House Finch Eye Disease

Finches flock, and flocks share germs. Project FeederWatch says birds with House Finch eye disease, also called mycoplasmal conjunctivitis, have red, swollen, runny, or crusty eyes, and that the disease has also affected American Goldfinch, Purple Finch, and Evening Grosbeak, among others. It notes that avian pox can be mistaken for conjunctivitis when the eyes are affected. You do not need to tell the two apart; either way, the FeederWatch page says to clean.

FeederWatch asks people to clean feeders regularly even when there are no signs of disease. If you see one or two diseased birds, it says to take the feeder down, clean it with a 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water), let it dry completely before rehanging, and rake under the feeder to remove old seed and droppings. Follow the directions on the bleach label, never mix bleach with other cleaners, and keep it out of reach of children. Its feeding guidelines add that tube feeders with ports are especially risky for spreading the eye infection, so take extra care disinfecting them when you see affected birds. The same eye disease page says that by law only licensed professionals are authorized to handle most wild birds, and that you should not add medication to bird seed or baths under any circumstances. Cleaning matters most at the feeders finches crowd: take the feeder apart, scrub the parts, rinse, and let everything dry before refilling.

Why Are No Finches Coming to My Feeder?

A brand-new feeder may simply not be found yet. The Audubon Guide to Bird Feeding says it may be a matter of hours before birds discover a new feeder, or a matter of weeks, depending on the distance to bird habitat, the density of nearby feeders, and the kinds of birds that might happen on it. The general steps for drawing birds to a new feeder apply to finches as well, starting with patience and a full feeder. If no birds of any kind are coming, not only finches, look at causes that affect the whole yard, such as a hawk, a cat, sick birds, or a season of plentiful wild food.

How We Put This Guide Together

This guide is based on published sources, not on feeders we maintain ourselves. We used the Audubon field guide entries for American Goldfinch, House Finch, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and Lesser Goldfinch; the Audubon Guide to Bird Feeding and an Audubon article on bird-friendly plants; Project FeederWatch’s food, feeding, and House Finch eye disease pages; NestWatch; the Missouri Department of Conservation field guides; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bird feeding sheet; the National Wildlife Federation; and extension publications from Penn State, Nebraska, and Clemson. We kept only statements we could match to those pages, and where we add a practical suggestion of our own, we say so. Our general method is on the How We Review page.

Attracting Finches: FAQ

What should I feed finches?

Offer nyjer in a feeder made for it, plus sunflower. Penn State Extension’s species table lists niger and sunflower seeds for American Goldfinch, and niger, sunflower seeds, and millet for House Finch and Purple Finch. Nebraska Extension lists thistle and sunflower hearts for American Goldfinch, House Finch, and Pine Siskin, and says a good finch mix contains only fine sunflower chips and nyjer. Keep each seed fresh and dry.

What do finches feed their babies?

Mostly seeds, which is unusual among small songbirds. Audubon says young American Goldfinches are fed regurgitated matter made up mostly of seeds, young House Finches are fed regurgitated seeds, and young Purple Finches may be fed mostly on seeds. The Missouri Department of Conservation says goldfinches feed their young thistle and other midsummer sunflower-family seeds, and points out that most small birds feed their young insects instead. It also notes that Brown-headed Cowbird chicks do not survive in goldfinch nests because of that seeds-only diet. Never try to feed a young bird yourself; see the last question below.

Do male House Finches feed their young?

Yes. Audubon says both House Finch parents feed the nestlings, and that the male also feeds the female during courtship and while she incubates the eggs. Male goldfinches do the same: Audubon says the male American Goldfinch feeds the female during incubation, brings food that she passes to the young at first, and may provide most of the food in later stages.

What should I do if I find a baby finch on the ground?

First tell a fledgling from a nestling. NestWatch says fledglings are fully feathered and alert, are fed by their parents for a few weeks after leaving the nest, and should be left alone. If the bird is injured, it says to call a certified wildlife rehabilitator or wildlife veterinarian, and in the meantime not to try to feed the bird or force-feed it water. Audubon gives the same advice: if a young bird seems sick or hurt, call a rehabber, your state wildlife agency, or a veterinarian, and do not feed it.

Final Thoughts

Finches come to feeders that match how they live: small seeds they can pull out while clinging, shelter nearby, water, and plants that go to seed in late summer. Put fresh nyjer and sunflower in separate feeders about 10 feet from cover, keep both clean and dry, leave the coneflowers standing, and expect the cast to change with the seasons, from House Finches in spring to goldfinch pairs in August and, some winters, a flock of siskins. For more on feeders and feeding, browse the Bird Feeders section.

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