Finch Feeders

Finches are great social birds and they come in many different varieties.

Finch is the common name given to several groups of seed eating birds which include the true finches.  They are found mainly in the Northern Hemisphere and in Africa.

"Classic" or true finches are small to moderately large and have a strong, stubby beak. All have 12 tail feathers and 9 primaries.  They have a bouncing flight where they alternate bouts of flapping with gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. Their nests are basket-shaped and built in trees.

Some of the more favorite varieties are

• Zebra Finch
• Gouldian Finch
• Society Finch
• American Goldfinch
• European Goldfinch
• Purple Finch
• House Finch
• Canary
• Java Rice Finch
• Spice Finch

There are many birds in other families which are often called finches. These include many species in the very similar-looking Estrildids or Waxbill family, which occur in the Old World tropics and Australia. The American sparrows are also named as finches.

As you can see, there are many varieties of finches, and also there are a variety of Finch feeders available on the market.  One type is the tube feeder.

There are two types of tube feeders:
Those that serve thistle seed and those that serve mixed seed. 

Each type attracts different bird species. Thistle feeders are a popular choice among many backyard bird enthusiasts and are loved by finches and other small wild birds.  Thistle seed needs a specially designed feeder to disperse the thin seed easily and economically. Although it is commonly called “thistle” seed, the seed is actually “nyjer” seed.

House Finches are extremely sociable birds. They will gather at the feeding stations in groups as large as 30 or more birds at a time.  So to accommodate House Finches, you'll want to have a large Finch feeder.

There is a popular finch feeder specially designed to hold a large quantity of thistle seed.  It is good for attracting goldfinches and pine siskins!  It has a 1 quart capacity and 8 feeding stations.  It also has a seed tray attachment that screws into the bottom of finch feeder to catch spillage.  It is a Droll Yankees brand and comes with a lifetime warranty. The 16" tall seed tube is constructed of UV stabilized polycarbonate with stainless steel armor for durability

Another popular tube finch feeder is called the "Purple Nyjer Mesh Feeder". It has a cast metal purple top and bottom with a stainless steel mesh is sized to permit Nyjer (thistle) seed to be pulled through.  It also has a seed diverter built into the bottom that directs seed to the outside perimeter of the tube where the birds can reach it.

This one is good for Chickadees, Finches, Goldfinches, Redpolls and Siskins.

There are numerous other choices in Finch Feeders, too many to go into detail here.  Just do alittle shopping and ask some question to find out which Finch feeder will be right for your yard or garden.

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