Nyjer seeds are sometimes called thistle seeds, but they are not the same thing and do not come from the Thistle plant. Nyjer seeds are harvested from the Guizotia flower of the Niger
Niger
Niger or the Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa named after the Niger River. Niger is bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin to the southwest, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwes…
Do finches prefer thistle or nyjer seed?
Nyjer Seed (aka niger seed or thistle seed) is a teeny-tiny, high-oil content seed (~40%) mostly favored by finches and siskins.
Why are birds not eating nyjer seed?
Nancy Castillo, co-owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Saratoga Springs, New York, and author of the blog Zen Birdfeeder, points out that Nyjer contains natural high-calorie oils that attract finches. When the oils dry out, the seed loses both its food value and its flavor, and birds shun it.
Can I put thistle seed in a regular bird feeder?
Nyjer seed (also referred to as Nyger or thistle), is a small, black seed high in oil content, making it an excellent source of energy for the birds who eat it. Many birders choose to offer Nyjer in their bird feeders throughout the winter months since many non-migratory birds feed on the nutritious seed.
What kind of birds eat nyjer seed?
Nyjer seed is one of the favorite seeds of goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Common Redpolls and other small-billed seed-eating birds. We've also seen nuthatches, chickadees, doves, Downy Woodpeckers, and other small birds eating it.
Does nyjer seed attract rodents?
Nyjer is a tiny seed which goldfinches will crack open to eat the edible interior; squirrels and rats are generally not interested in this seed.
Do squirrels eat nyjer seed?
Seed: While squirrels will readily sample most types of birdseed, they are less attracted to nyjer and safflower seed, both of which have a slightly bitter taste.
Why won't finches come to my thistle feeder?
Make sure to buy seed that has a strong black color. Finches won't feed on brown, old-looking seed. Thistle seed (aka Nyjer®) dries out quickly, so store your fresh thistle in the freezer until you're ready to use it. This helps preserve the seed, preventing it from drying out until it goes into your finch feeders.
When should I put out thistle for finches?
Put out your finch feeders in late spring to catch the tail end of the migration and attract the breeding season males. In summer, finches spend more time away from your feeders. As the weather begins to warm up and plants begin producing seeds, they will spend more time foraging.
Why do goldfinches stopped coming to feeder?
Because of this, their nesting time coincides with the weed seed crop of late summer (July and August), which is much later than most other songbirds. During this part of the year, Goldfinches are busy..., well....getting busy, so they tend not to visit our feeders as often as they do the rest of the year.
Does nyjer seed leave a mess?
A: It does leave waste but it is not as much as with other seeds, like sunflower shells. If you have your feeder on a solid ground or with woodchips, you will notice some mess. If you have it in the grass or in a garden with dirt, you will hardly notice anything.
Do Blue jays eat nyjer seed?
Make sure the seed stays dry, and replace uneaten food every few weeks. Serve nyjer seed in a tube or mesh feeder hung away from other feeders, so tiny birds can feed without disruption from larger species like blue jays.
When should I put out my Niger seed?
Attracting Birds With Nyjer For many birders, offering Nyjer in the winter is the best option, as many seed-eating birds are year-round residents but natural seed supplies are scarce in winter, so thistle seed feeders will be more popular.
Why are the birds not eating my thistle?
Make sure your thistle feeder is clean and full of fresh seed. If it has been hanging out for awhile with no activity, take it down, clean it and fill with fresh seed. Don't fill it up all the way at first, use a small amount of fresh seed, then adjust as your bird activity improves.
Why do goldfinches stopped coming to feeder?
Because of this, their nesting time coincides with the weed seed crop of late summer (July and August), which is much later than most other songbirds. During this part of the year, Goldfinches are busy..., well....getting busy, so they tend not to visit our feeders as often as they do the rest of the year.
Why did finches stop coming to my feeder?
Finches don't like dirty feeders and will avoid a feeder if it's moldy or otherwise unclean. When it rains, seed can also become clumpy, and the birds won't be able to pull seeds out of the feeder. Adding a weather guard to your feeder can prevent the seeds from getting wet and clumping.
When should I put out my niger seed?
Attracting Birds With Nyjer For many birders, offering Nyjer in the winter is the best option, as many seed-eating birds are year-round residents but natural seed supplies are scarce in winter, so thistle seed feeders will be more popular.
What is Nyjer seed?
Nyjer Seed (aka niger seed or thistle seed) is a teeny-tiny, high-oil content seed (~40%) mostly favored by finches and siskins. In order to eliminate waste, there are special thistle feeders with very tiny holes as feeding ports. Nyjer bird seed is an oilseed crop from the yellow flowering plant, Guizotia abyssinica (pictured), ...
Where is Nyjer bird seed grown?
Nyjer bird seed is an oilseed crop from the yellow flowering plant, Guizotia abyssinica (pictured), that is cultivated in Ethiopia, India, Myanmar and Nepal.
Why is Nyjer a trademark?
This is an entirely different plant and is heat treated as an import condition so that it can't sprout. "Nyjer" is is a trademark of the Wild Bird Feeding Institute. A name change to eliminate product confusion and the offensive mispronunciation of the word niger.
What are some other names for thistle?
Other Names: Niger, Nyger, Noog/Nug, Ramtil/Ramtilla, Inga Seed and Blackseed, This tle (not related to the American Thistle weed)
What seed ports do tube bird feeders have?
There are several tube bird feeders that have ports that can be changed from mixed seed to nyjer or thistle seed ports. There are some nyjer and thistle seed bird feeders that have "upside down" ports.
Can finches eat thistle seed?
This is particularly advantageous to feeding finches since they are one of the few birds that have the ability to feed upside down. Upside down feeders allow the finch to alight on the port's perch then turn upside down and eat the nyjer or thistle seed from the port hole below the perch.
Nyger, niger or thistle bird seed-all the same
I’ve been investigating to see if we can plant Nyjer bird seed from the package seed we buy for birds. Nyger, niger or thistle bird seed are all names for the same bird seed from Africa. The official name, nyjer, was picked in 1988 so as not to offend anyone with the name niger or to confuse anyone about it possibly being a thistle seed.
GIANTVEGGIEGARDENER INSTAGRAM
Bumper crop of apricots here in Santa Fe last summer. Lots of jam this year!