Nyjer or thistle?

Size of Nyjer seed compared to a quarter

Nyjer, niger or thistle are all names used to describe a tiny black seed used for bird-feeding. However, only Nyjer is the correct usage.

To differentiate between the imported "niger" seed (named in association with the African country of Nigeria) and thistle, as well as to avoid any mispronouncing of the word "niger," the Wild Bird Feeding Industry trademarked the name Nyjer in 1998.

Nyjer comes from a yellow, daisy-like flower but thistle seed comes from pink to purple ball-shaped flower heads. Thistle is considered a noxious weed that is capable of taking over entire farm fields in North America.

To protect our environment from any invasive weed seeds, all imported shipments of Nyjer are heat sterilized to prevent germination. The Bird House carries only Nyjer seed.

Goldfinches love Nyjer seed

Goldfinches, House Finches, chickadees, Pine Siskins, Mourning Doves and juncos all love Nyjer. Another bonus: Squirrels typically ignore Nyjer.

Nyjer is high in calories and oil content and can dry out. If it does, many birds will ignore it. Nyjer, as tiny as it is, has a shell. You may see piles of those shells under your feeders.

Tube-style feeders with small slits are ideal for dispensing Nyjer seed to goldfinches. Being so tiny, Nyjer seed acts as a wick when it rains and can easily become moldy, which is bad for the birds. Shake the feeder often to break up any clumps or refill with fresh seed.