Which feeder is better for goldfinches?

Tube feeder

People sometimes ask which is the better feeder to use for offering seed to goldfinches: the seed sack or the tube feeder?

Hands down, the answer is the tube feeder.

You'll see goldfinches eating Nyjer seed all year long, especially during the late summer breeding season. Right now the males have turned from their bright yellow summertime plumage to the olive green similar to what females wear throughout the year.

Goldfinches love Nyjer seed, the thin little black seeds that resemble grains of wild rice. They're sometimes called "thistle," but actually the seed doesn't come from the domestic thistle that you may see along the roadsides. Nyjer is the seed of the African yellow daisy that is imported from Africa and South Asia. Because of federal regulations that prohibit the importation of non-native weeds, Nyjer is heat-treated so there is no chance of it sprouting. The nutritious and high-fat content in the seed isn't harmed.

One way of offering seed to goldfinches is by feeder sacks. These are plastic mesh bags that can be hung from tree limbs or shepherd's hooks. They are very inexpensive but, as they say, you get what you pay for.

Seed sack

A huge drawback to feed sacks is that they get wet even in the lightest rain. The seed can remain damp even after the rain clouds part. The wet seed causes mold and other spoilage that can sicken birds. Another problem is that the seed tends to spill as birds peck at the bag to reach inside. During bitterly cold winter days the seed sack can freeze solid, which isn't much use to the birds.

Tube feeders, on the other hand, are made of rigid clear plastic. They protect the seed from the elements. Perches that extend from the feeder allow the birds to perch while eating. Also the birds have no trouble getting at the seed. They easily can reach their beaks into the seed ports or openings. Some feeders are designed to allow the birds to perch upside down—just as they often do when eating natural food in the wild.

Also tube feeders last for a long while—a good model with last for several years.