Finches are very popular birds because they are such colorful creatures. In this article we will go over many helpful tips on how to best attract them right to your backyard so that you can enjoy finches from the comfort of your own home.
There are many things that will assist in attracting finches and they range from the type of bird seed and feeds to the environmental conditions of your backyard.
1 – What Do Finches Like to Eat for Food? (And What Best Attracts Them)
A finches primary diet is seeds, so if you don’t have the kind of seeds they like around then they are likely to also not be around. The good news is that finches like quite a few different kinds of seeds.
A finches love for seeds range from sunflower seeds to aster but the most common that is used to attract finches is Nyjer. Finches just love these little black seeds.
A finch blend is also very popular among the birds in which the blend consists of Nyjer (Thistle) and fine sunflower chips. These are both common seeds for the finch to each because they both contain oils which make it easier on the finch’s beak when eating.
While a finches primary diet is seeds it is not all that they need to survive. In the wild, finch’s also spend a lot of the time scrounging for other foods such as plant matter, fruits, vegetables and even select insects and worms.
These other options of foods help the finch’s get the proper vitamins and proteins needed to survive.
Since you are trying to attract wild finch’s it is recommended to feed them a blended seed consisting of Nyjer and crushed sunflower seeds. These two items will surely assist in attracting finch right in your backyard.
One thing to note is that finch’s don’t like dried out food. If you pinch a Nyjer or thistle with your nails you should get a find oil from the inside. If your Nyjer doesn’t have this then the finch will likely no longer be attached to the food.
2 – Pick the Correct Bird Feeder & Keep It Clean and Dry
Finch’s can be a little picky when it comes to feeders, especially the cleanliness of the feeder itself. If a feeder is dirty or moldy they will likely just move along looking for food elsewhere.
One of the things that can quickly ruin a feeder is moisture. Water from rain or mist can make a feeder clog and hard for the bird to eat even if they wanted to. To avoid this, try adding a weather guard to the feeder to keep it dry.
Finch’s are such small birds even manufacturers cater to them with feeders. They will likely eat off any feeder but you’ll find that they waste a lot of food on the ground. To avoid this, pick up a finch station, feeder tubs or feeder socks.
This will allow the birds to eat more efficiently which will also put money back in your pocket when it comes to the bird food.
3 – Select the Best Location for the Bird Feeder
As with any animal in the wild, it is filled with predators. This is the same for finch’s and they also like eating in a safer environment. To better attract a finch don’t just put the feeder out in the open.
Place a finch feeder by shrubs or trees to help them feel at home. This will bring you to another issue, which is squirrels as they love the seeds themselves.
Once the finch’s have become a custom to the feeder you can slowly move it away from trees and shrubs which will assist with any squirrel problem you may or may not end up having.
4 – Plant Plants Bearing Seeds
Now that we know that finch’s love seeds, it is best to supply them with more options. Finch’s love seed bearing plants as well. To help attract finch’s you can plant things like cattails and cottonwood.
These are both great seed bearing plants that finch’s love outside of thistle or sunflowers.
5 – Water
As with any living animal water is another key substance to life. Leaving a bird bath out with fresh water will also assist in attracting finch right to your back yard.
6 – Create a Safe Habitat for the Finch to Nest and Live In
Another way to attract finch right in your own backyard is by supplying them with a great habitat to live in. It’s best if you have quite a few trees and shrubs. Finch’s love to create nests up high in trees and usually in branch’s that have “forked”.
Common trees for this are similar to dogwoods or fruit trees. Thistles can even be an excellent home for the finch, if they are tall enough. Finch’s love to be up high as it keeps them safe from predators on the ground.
Obviously, thistles are great to have around the trees as well because they are a great food source for the finch as discussed above. Tall grasses and sunflowers can also be included with this.
The finch love plants such as grasses as it gives them something to build a nest with.
7 – Bright Colorful Ribbons
Studies have shown that finch’s have a great eye for colors. Many who can’t grow things like flowers around the feeders like to tie bright colored ribbons near the feeders. The breeze makes these ribbons move and they stand out to the finch as they fly over.
Believe it or not, these ribbons are said to assist in attracting beautiful finch.
Conclusion
In summary, to attract beautiful finches right to you in your own back yard you must be cognizant of these 7 items. The finch just need a healthy safe place to live and eat. If you can supply these conditions and keep up on keeping the feeder clean for these beautiful birds you are sure to have them in your backyard in no time.
One final thing that many also recommend is to clean up the spilled seeds under the feeders. This helps prevent birds from catching diseases.
There is quite a bit more that one can learn about bird diseases from here in which you can also learn how to prevent diseases along with actually recognizing some signs of different types of diseases all while protecting yourself.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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