Goldfinches: Where Did They All Go?

[@ramondelgado05]

Great video Kristen!

[@WBUBarrie]

Thank-you for watching! :)

[@AndrewJR66]

I just put out some of that seed mix that you recommended hopefully they start coming

[@WBUBarrie]

Let us know how it works for you!

[@AndrewJR66]

It worked great thank you

[@Ladycooks]

Please regularly keep your feeders super clean, there has been a bird conjunctivitis wiping out the goldfinch population across the United States. It has been suggested to take down feeders for a couple of weeks before you put clean feeders back up.

[@WBUBarrie]

We strongly advocate for clean/disinfect feeders regularly to mitigate disease both conjunctivitis and others. Our recommendation (aside from regularly cleaning and disinfecting feeders) is to take feeders down to clean/infect and leave them down for 4 weeks if a sick bird is observed. Taking them down for a few weeks before replacing them is certainly an additional layer of protection, however with the recommended cleaning schedule of every two weeks from the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell this would mean that your feeders would only be active for 2 weeks per month. This is certainly an approach with an abundance of caution, however regular disinfecting every 2 weeks with a bleach solution and monitoring for sick birds is an appropriate, preventative and responsible method for feeding birds safely. We are not aware of any scientific data suggesting entire populations of birds are being wiped out. Perhaps you could send some links to scientific publications that discuss this information.

[@saldefranco9362]

Yes to the sunflower chips! I was surprised. They were swarming my tube feeders all winter up until last week, and now they’ve all gone. I’m a bit heartbroken. Warren township NJ.

[@BryWorYT]

Great video. I started back-yard birding just last spring. I had success attracting American Goldfinches over the summer with Nyjer seed served in an inexpensive two port plastic 'thistle feeder' and a DIY mesh feeder, using metal screen from a A.C. furnace filter holder. Both worked very well; in fact, the males appeared to prefer the mesh feeder - possibly because they were intimidated by the larger Purple Finches and Song Sparrows dominating the tube feeder. Come winter however, they were not interested in Nyjer AT ALL. So I tried sunflower chips instead (Armstrong brand) - initially loose in the spill tray of the Nyjer feeders - and they've come back, sometimes in small groups (around 6-10), especially on very cold days or when it's snowing. I wondered if 'grading' the chips, using the same mesh material to sieve the finer fragments, would work with the mesh feeder. Well it did, kind of, but I was constantly having to shake or refill it to loosen fragments lodged in the holes. So, for now, I've enlarged the small oval holes in the ports of the tube Nyjer feeder just enough for the finer chips to pass without spilling out. And I bring the feeder indoors in the evening to avoid moisture spoiling the fine chips. But I'm looking for a more suitable feeder (tube or mesh) for 'ungraded' sunflower chips over the winter - ideally around 12-14" tall; the feeders are hanging under a deck gazebo and squirrels would be able to reach anything taller from the deck fence. Needs to withstand temperatures dipping down to -30° C (Southern Quebec). Any recommendations ? Incidentally, I also tried adding sunflower chips to my regular 'peanut butter - chopped craisin' suet cake mix. The goldfinches were not interested and it only brought back the House Sparrow 'mobs'. The only other feeder I have up is serving safflower seed, which keeps the Cardinals and House Finches happy. Cheers.

[@WBUBarrie]

Chips are the way to go for Goldfinches in our experience. :) Nyjer is a second favourite. So we like to recommend either 100% chips or a split blend of Nyjer and Chips. The challenge is finding the fine chips for your feeders. Fine chips are the only chips that would work in a mesh style or tube style finch feeder. We have found that fine chips that work with finch feeders really do need to be mixed with Nyjer or they don't flow very well and get clumpy and gross. Ungraded chips would be an issue for any "finch feeder" but would be fine in a standard tube feeder like our WBU Tube Feeders. Personally I use chips in my Eliminator Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder which works fantastic and the goldfinches flock to. As finches are almost exclusively herbivores and don't really eat nuts adding finch foods to suet or peanut butter won't do the trick to attract them. Weather guards to go over top of the feeders are also a recommendation we suggest because it will help keep some of the snow/rain out of the feeders. If you're able to make some of these changes you should be able to leave the feeders out in the cold all night. I do and we get the same temperatures here! Your feeders sounds like a great DIY project that has you enjoying the birds. How fantastic! Hope some of these suggestions help :)

[@BryWorYT]

@@WBUBarrie Thanks for your advice and suggestions. I did at first try mixing the 'graded' fine sunflower chips with Nyjer seeds but none of the birds were interested in the Nyjer. I checked out your Eliminator Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder. I like the concept and I'm sure it's very durable, but it's rather too large for for my present needs, and a bit pricey. I'll maybe consider something like when I put the feeders back out in the yard in the Spring. Thanks again

[@WBUBarrie]

@@BryWorYT My pleasure! For Nyjer check that it is fresh. It only stays "fresh" for 8 weeks at the most and after that the oil evaporates out and the birds are not interested. Crush some with the back of a spoon into a white paper you should notice small oil droplets. Also, because it's such a small seed sometimes people don't think it's being eaten when it is. You should notice that the shell looks like a mini banana peel once eaten. The fine chips really do require the Nyjer to flow properly through a feeder otherwise you're better off with a tube feeder and coarse chips as I mentioned. Yes, the Eliminator is certainly an investment, but after 10 years my first one is still going strong. So one worth making! We also have customers that have had them in excess of 25 years if you can believe it! And it's backed by a great lifetime guarantee. You're right it is large but that means I'm only filling them up every week to week and a half which I love in the winter and you can get the compatible weather guard for them. Cheers!

[@BryWorYT]

​@@WBUBarrie Thanks. Yes, the Nyjer (Armstrong brand) is fresh. I took your advice and mixed some in with the 'graded' finer sunflower chips to see if it improves flow from the DIY mesh feeder. I have that and the modified two port tube feeder (with chips only) out on the deck. Very cold (-23° C) clear day here though (I'm sure it's the same in Barrie) and I'm only seeing a few goldfinches. They don't seem at all interested in clinging to the mesh, preferring to pick loose chips from the plastic spill tray. Difficult to say which works best, but I'm edging towards the tube feeder; they linger longer at the ports, when they can get a look-in, with competition from the chickadees and house finches. Only the downy woodpeckers are spending any time on the frozen suet cakes; the WB nuthatches are going to the mesh feeder and the Carolina Wren's are flitting between the suet and chips. On the safflower feeder, I'm only seeing cardinals and the occasional snatching chickadee; the picky house finches, which normally linger on it (leisurely selecting the best seed and throwing out the rest), are going to the chips tube feeder as well. Looks like sunflower chips are definitely the preferred fast food on a freezing day like this. Need to decide what I'm going to do with the larger chip fragments that I screened out though. I'll likely crush them into smaller chips until I've finished the pack and get fine chips next time. I don't think I'll be looking for a feeder for larger chips at this time. Just to mention, I've been filming the birds on the feeders with my Nikon 'all weather' (rugged) AW120 camera mounted on the deck canopy frame, so I'm able to monitor their feeding choices at close range. None of the birds are touching the Nyjer seeds in, or spilled from, the mesh feeder - there are no husks in the spill dish. They are all picking out the sunflower chips.

[@BryWorYT]

Warmer (-9° C) today, with some light snow, and more goldfinches. With stiffer competition for the two ports and spill dish (which has a ring perch) on the 'chip' tube feeder, the goldfinches are now favouring the mesh feeder (with the chip/nyjer mix) and are clinging on the mesh higher up to feed, which is encouraging. I wonder if the much lower temperature yesterday made them less inclined to cling to the bare metal mesh. Edit: Tried mixing some Nyjer in with the chips on the tube feeder also, but still none of the birds are going for it. It's all being dumped in the spill tray. What I have noticed though is a little less competition from the chickadees dive bombing the feeder for a quick snatch, presumably because they have to spend more time at the ports picking out the chips. Also when filming the birds on the feeder, having some black seed in mix creates contrast which helps the camera's auto-focus to lock on to the feeder as it moves about.

[@markvogel5872]

It's so sad I've not seen any in so long...they used to be here all the time. I did get bluebirds for the first time though!

[@WBUBarrie]

Sorry to hear this! It is the time of year when they become more scare as they are starting to establish territories. Congrats on the bluebirds that's super exciting!

[@Chris_Wolfgram]

Enjoyed your video 🙂 Our GF's mostly disappeared from our feeders here in Sacramento a few days ago, and it's only the end of April ? Granted, we have had a week straight of close to 90 degrees temps... Anyway, I was a little bummed, as they were almost in full breeding plumage, which I had been waiting for, to get some really nice photos. Now their gone ☹️ By the time they start coming back (when might that be ?) will the males still have the full breeding plumage ???

[@WBUBarrie]

They will be in breeding plumage until usually September (here in Ontario at least) after the young have fledged and are independent. They do move around quite a bit until nesting time- for us that's begins in July. So there is time left for them to return!

[@Chris_Wolfgram]

@@WBUBarrie awesome, TY :) Maybe I'll get some great photos when they come back :)

[@mikemraz8569]

I feed with a mesh feeder and have them feeding all year around in the rain wind it makes no difference to them, but they have disappeared the last two weeks it’s November. I don’t believe it one just showed up as I’m typing this up 😃 I’m going to get some sunflower bits thanks 🙏 for the info.

[@WBUBarrie]

Oh ya I'm glad they are back visiting your feeders! Let us know how the sunflower chips work :)

[@darrenkeltie4725]

They're all at my house. 🏠 🤣

[@WBUBarrie]

🤣 please share some LOL

[@virginiaconnors2027]

Where do.you live? I live in SE South Dakota & haven't gotten any tha last 2 years

[@emptynestgardens9057]

It wasn't my imagination!!! I've been telling my husband there is only about 1/4 or less of them this year!

[@WBUBarrie]

:) You're right! The can disappear in late summer. We explain why in this video :)

[@emptynestgardens9057]

@@WBUBarrie Watching intently 😁

[@Salmiyaguy1]

We get a lot in the summer but very few if any in the winter. So it's the opposite of what she said.

[@WBUBarrie]

It will differ depending on where you live and where the birds are nesting. It will also differ from one year to the next. Some years there are a lot of natural food and other times not so much. I'm not certain where your writing from- but the video was intended mostly for folks in Southern Ontario. If your fortunate to have them in the late summer in good numbers that awesome! They are highly nomadic in search of food particularly in winter. Thanks for watching!

[@Salmiyaguy1]

These mesh feeders for mesh metal types of feeders for finches. I tried three and the nyjer just poured out of them. I don't understand how people use them; they don't hold the seed.

[@WBUBarrie]

Hi Charles, You may notice we don't mention the mesh metal feeders in the video. They are not our favourite feeders and not a style we carry at our two locations. We have found it challenging to keep this style of feeder dry. So they are ok during summer when its dry or in a really sheltered area but in snow or rain it's tough to keep the weather out. :) Thanks for your feedback as well!

[@BryWorYT]

As per my comment above, I made my own 'mesh feeder' using the metal screen from an A.C. furnace filter holder. The gauge of the mesh was just perfect for Nyjer seed. There was some spill of course but I had a 'catch dish' suspended a few inches below the base and what little fell soon got pecked up by song sparrows and house finches. Like WBU Barrie said though, the challenge with these mesh feeders is keeping the Nyjer seed dry.

[@beckyd7639]

We lost one of our female finches. It hit our side window of the house and died instantly 😢

[@WBUBarrie]

Thanks for your comment! We’ve started a live bird feeder cam and moved over to a different KZbin Channel. We encourage you to check out our new channel and subscribe to see our new content. Since we moved our content over there we have not been responding to comments on our older videos as frequently. So sorry to hear this that's awful!