Thistle or no?

[Shelbii]

I want to attract more yellow finches this spring and summer. I've never used thistle before (on it's own). The birdseed we buy has a bit in the mixture. Do you think I should buy a bag of thistle and add to the other birdseed? How do I attract more finches?

 

[The Big Cowhuna]

I can't bring myself to pay the price for thistle. If you go that route, don't mix it with the other seed or you'll wind up with a mess. The birds will sling out the millet and cracked corn for the sunflower seeds and thistle. Finches come to our feeders and we use black oil sunflower seeds instead of a seed mix.

 

[RichZ]

We have lots of goldfinches come to our feeders all year long. We don't use thistle, but they like the millet in most bird seed. You do realize that goldfinches are not gold in the winter, right?

 

[Mayfield]

I just learned that goldfinches aren't gold (yellow) in the winter. I'm not embarrassed to say that.
@ shelbii We do buy a specific birdseed for finches and it does have thistle mixed in. My parents have sock feeders and they only put thistle in those. At times, they get 10 finches at one time.

 

[RichZ]

No need to be embarassed that gold finshes aren't gold in the winter. Most people think they migrate, but they're right there all winter, they just loose their golden plumage. I love to seem them slowly regain their golden color as spring progresses. Once you realize what they look like in the winter, you'll see that they're all over the place.

 

[TammiT]

@RichZ what color are they in the winter? I have this app on my phone, I snap a pic and the app tells me what they are. I swore this one bird was a finch but it said tufted titmouse.
We use a thistle mixture and this year we are using those socks.

 

[RichZ]

 

[Shelbii]

We put out some new bird feeders and we hung up 2 socks (filled with thistle). We have not had any finches yet. I'm patiently waiting for them. How many different colors are there of finches?

 

[RichZ]

I don't know where you live, but usually the main finches you will see are goldfinches, which are bright yellow and purple finches and house finches which are similar looking. Plus cardinals are actually finches.

 

[Charli]

Cardinals are finches? I did not know that! We saw our first yellow finch yesterday. I think it was the male because it was beautiful and bright. We do use thistle in our socks.