The 4 BEST Finch Feeders In MY Backyard! (2023)
Having a quality finch feeder is a cornerstone of any successful bird feeding station.
That’s because finches are some of the most colorful, active, and entertaining birds to observe in your backyard! In my neck of the woods (Ohio), the two most common finches that come to my feeders provide a nice contrast of colors. The House Finch displays beautiful shades of red, while the American Goldfinches are stunning in summer with their bright yellow plumage.
And luckily, finches are relatively easy to attract if you use one of the best finch feeders listed below.
Table of Contents:
To see for yourself, check out this LIVE stream of the bird feeders in my backyard.
There is a great chance you will see birds eating from one of my favorite finch feeders.
Attracting finches to your feeders starts with using their favorite foods.
Finches are particular when it comes to what they eat. From personal experience, there are two types of birdseed that work best to attract finches to your feeders.
1. Sunflower kernels:
Almost all species of finch LOVE eating sunflower, but you have to make sure it’s already shelled. The small beak of most finches doesn’t have enough power to crack open the husk of a sunflower seed.
The only problem with using shelled sunflower kernels is that many other birds LOVE it too. The list of birds that like sunflower includes sparrows (including the dreaded House Sparrow), cardinals, jays, woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmice, chickadees, blackbirds, and more!
2. Nyjer Seed:
Nyjer (also spelled niger) seeds are black, tiny, and commonly referred to as “thistle,” which can be confusing because it is not related to thistle. It hails from a plant in Ethiopia and is primarily used as commercial birdseed.
Nyjer seed is my favorite food to use in my finch feeders!
This is because not many birds eat nyjer seed. The list of birds is small and includes finches (Goldfinches, Pine Siskin, House Finch, etc.), chickadees, and doves. Even squirrels should leave your feeders filled with nyjer seed alone!
It’s relatively expensive by weight, especially when compared to other types of birdseed. But I have found that I don’t have to refill my nyjer feeders nearly as often as my feeders that contain sunflower seeds or a general bird mix.
Nyjer seed lasts longer than other food for two reasons:
1. Only finches, chickadees, and doves will be eating your nyjer seed. Most other birds will leave it alone.
2. Nyjer seed is so small that it takes a while for finches to eat it all. Larger seeds (like sunflowers) take up more room and are emptied from feeders more quickly.
The 4 Best Finch Feeders In My Backyard
#1: Droll Yankees Nyjer Tube Feeder
First, please know that this tube finch feeder is designed specifically to use with Nyjer seed.
Look at the feeding ports below. Standard tube feeders have large feeding ports so you can use a variety of seed and attract many different species of birds.
Nyjer feeders don’t have large feeding ports. Instead, they have tiny slits above each perch. Only small “thistle” seeds can fit through, AND only birds with small beaks can reach inside to get food out of the feeder, like finches!
My favorite tube nyjer feeder is made by Droll Yankees. It is the one that I use and own. Here is a bit more about it.
Positives:
- This feeder is made by Droll Yankees who have a fantastic reputation for quality bird products. It’s made in America (as are all their products!) and backed by their Lifetime Warranty, which covers any defective part or any damage caused by squirrels!
- The yellow top and bases are constructed of zinc die-cast metal, which fits on tightly but is easy to remove.
- The transparent tube body is made of hard and durable plastic.
- It has small slits above each perch that only allows nyjer seed to come out, which ensures House Sparrows or other larger birds can’t dump it onto the ground. The expensive niger seed lasts as long as possible since not much is wasted.
- The base is contoured and slopes down to the bottom two feeding areas to help the finches empty the feeder (see picture above).
- Droll Yankees included a long cleaning brush to scrub the very deepest parts of the tube. The brush is helpful since niger finch feeders are notoriously hard to clean thoroughly.
- This version is 23 inches tall, has eight ports/perches and can hold up to 2lbs of seed, which is perfect for my backyard. If you have large flocks of finches that you must feed, Droll Yankees also make a 36-inch (with 20 ports!) version. For smaller yards or to serve as a window feeder, you can try their 8-inch finch feeder.
Negatives:
Niger seed tube feeders all seem to have an issue, and this one is no exception. When water inevitably gets inside, it is hard for it to evaporate, which creates moisture inside the feeder. The bottom 3-4 inches of seed gets spoiled sometimes due to water damage and sometimes I have to blast water from a hose into the feeder to wash out the seed stuck at the bottom.
To help solve the moisture problem, I have been using a product called Feeder Fresh. While filling up my finch feeders, I put some of the granules into the bottom, which absorbs water when it inevitably gets inside.
#2:Â No/No Screen Finch Feeder
This screen feeder is fantastic! It provides lots of entertainment and is probably my favorite finch feeder. It’s even featured in my article about the best overall bird feeders for your backyard. READ HERE –>Â The 14 Best Bird Feeders For Your Backyard
First, it doesn’t have perches like traditional tube feeders because the whole feeder is made out of a metal mesh/screen. Many finches (especially goldfinches) can cling directly to the sides of the feeder and from all angles (even upside down) to pull seeds through the screen.
Seriously, if you didn’t view my live bird cam at the beginning of this post, check it out here. The No/No Screen Finch Feeder is one of the most popular feeders in my backyard.
Other Things That I Like:
- It’s made entirely of metal. There is NO plastic and NO wood, hence the name “No/No.” (No/No is a brand of Perky Pet). Since it’s made entirely of metal, it’s resistant to squirrels (and other critters).
- The mesh wire design provides a large surface area for finches to land and cling. Birds are not limited to just eating from the provided perches or ports; they can eat anywhere on this feeder!
- In the pictures above you will notice two internal baffles inside the mesh tube. These baffles distribute seed evenly throughout the feeder and provide a larger surface area for finches to feed.
- The tray at the bottom catches the seed that falls through the screen. I have observed many goldfinches (and House Finches, chickadees, doves) sitting on this tray to eat the seed that fell out. But all the shells from the niger seed eaten from above collect on this dish too. Every few days I brush off what has accumulated.
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It’s easy to clean! The top and base twist right off. Since most of the feeder is mesh wire, there are not many places for seeds to get stuck and accumulate.
- It holds about 1.5 lbs of Nyjer seed. When you go to fill, my recommendation is to do this inside of the container where it’s stored. This way, any seed that falls through the mesh wire isn’t wasted.
- There are tiny holes drilled into the bottom tray to help with drainage. The seed gets wet when it rains due to the open design, but it dries quickly. Just make sure to replace any uneaten seed after 2-3 weeks (depending on weather).
#3:Â Kaytee Finch Socks
The name says it all – these mesh bags filled with nyjer seed look like socks hanging from your yard!
Some are disposable; some can be refilled. Finches land directly on the sock and pull the food out from the tiny holes. Only birds that can cling to the bag with their feet can use it since there are no perches (like American Goldfinches).
Positives:
- I always keep a box of these in my shed as a finch feeder back up. You never know when an explosion of finches will visit your yard. Supplying another feeding station at a moments notice is nice.
- They are convenient and come pre-filled with Nyjer seed. Just open and set out for the finches!
- The socks are refillable once you run out of the initial seed. There’s a drawstring at the top. I have found I can refill them a few times before they start ripping or look worn.
- Because the socks suspend in air, when the bag gets wet it dries quickly. Make sure the Nyjer doesn’t get moldy.
- Just like the No/No Screen Finch Feeder above, only birds that can cling to the sides of the sock can access the seed, such as goldfinches and chickadees. The goldfinches in my yard LOVE these socks. It attracts almost the same amount of finches as the other two feeders above.
Negatives:
Don’t expect your two thistle socks that cost $12 to last more than a few refills. They also don’t add anything to the aesthetics of your yard. They do look like a sock hanging with birdseed inside!
#4: Aspects Tube Feeder
The first three finch feeders listed above were all designed only to distribute Nyjer seed. But as we discussed earlier, finches also LOVE sunflower.
It wouldn’t be fair to the finches if we didn’t talk about using a classic tube feeder filled with sunflower kernels! Seriously, there are days when its hard to find a time in my backyard when there isn’t a finch using one of the tube feeders filled with sunflower.
Just remember that goldfinches can only eat sunflower kernels! Their beaks are not strong or big enough to crack open sunflower still in the shell.
Typically, I have at least one Aspects tube feeder featured in my bird feeding station. Check out the LIVE stream of my bird feeding station below to see what I have featured today:
There are lots of excellent tube feeders available. As long as they are filled with sunflower kernels, then they should work at attracting finches.
The two tube feeders that I use the most are both made by Aspects:
- Large: 20 inches long, 6 feeding ports, and feeding capacity is 1.75 quarts.
- Medium: 16 inches long, 4 feeding ports, and feeding capacity is 1.25 quarts.
Related Reading:
-
6 Types of Woodpecker Feeders Your Birds Will Love!
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See More RED! My 3 Favorite Cardinal Bird Feeders
6 Frequently Asked Questions About Feeding Finches
1. How large of a finch feeder should I buy?  Don’t use a finch feeder that is too big and takes weeks for the seed to get eaten. You don’t want your niger seed to get old and spoil. If the seed still isn’t gone after three weeks, you need to empty and replace. If you are continuously wasting seed, you may want to select a smaller finch feeder or don’t fill your current feeder all the way to the top.
2. Why is there a pile of uneaten Nyjer seed underneath my finch feeders? Don’t think the finches aren’t eating it; you are just seeing the husk. Even though niger is small, it still has a tiny seed inside. Finches slit through the shell to eat the seed and discard the husk.
3. Will Nyjer seed grow? Any Nyjer seed that falls onto the ground won’t grow. It is sterilized, which is a requirement of all Nyjer since it’s imported from overseas. So don’t worry, Nyjer seed does not develop into a thistle weed.
4. Where can I buy Nyjer seed?
Buy Nyjer seed in bulk to save on prices. But only buy 1-2 months supply at a time. Unlike other types of seed, Nyjer has a limited shelf life. If it’s too old, finches won’t eat it.
- 5 lb of Nyjer seed on Amazon.com – Order online!
5. How do I avoid spilling Nyjer seed on the ground?
Make sure to purchase a quality seed scoop to avoid messes. It’s terrible to watch Nyjer seed fall helplessly to the ground because the opening of your scoop is bigger than your tube finch feeder. The scoop that I use has a wide mouth to fill my large feeders quickly but also has a small funnel on the other end to fill my tube feeders. A small funnel is helpful and gives excellent precision as I fill my finch feeders.
Droll Yankees Seed Scoop  View Price on Amazon
6. What should I do if the seed in my feeders looks moldy?
If the nyjer seed sits in your finch feeder too long and starts to get moldy, then you need to clean your feeder. Wash and sterilize with a bleach-water mixture (~10% bleach). Make sure to rinse thoroughly with water and let dry completely.
What other tips or advice do you follow when it comes to feeding finches from your feeders?
What is your favorite feeder to use when feeding finches?
Please use the comments below to share your findings. Thanks for reading!
We live in Central Texas and we are over-run with RWBB! They chase all the other (good) birds away and we end up with RWBB, Starlings, Grackles and Brown Headed Cowbirds. We have tried everything to defeat the mean birds, but they figure out every feeder and eat every kind of seed. Our latest Finch feeder has little ports that you can open for large seeds or close for small seeds. I locked the ports all closed, with finch food in it, and the RWBBs opened them! Does anyone have any suggestions on helping with this kind of issue? Thanks!
Thanks Laura! I love the addition of plants to feed finches too! In fact I don’t have a finch feeder at all but they love my citrus tress and even nest in the grape vines. I’ve always known that it was possible to grow native thistle but I’ve little experience. I look forward to the challenge. I’ve read here that some people have lost their gold Finches and I wondered if they grew the plants you listed – as gold finches are abundant here (Bay Area, Ca)
My students enjoyed watching your birdfeeder cam today. We have been doing some birdwatching here in sunny Western New York. Appreciate your hard work!
I just started using Plantskydd last year which is dried cow blood to keep deer from eating my plants. It works great, and also deters mice and any animal scared of predators like chipmunks, but not birds. I spray it on the ground around my house and haven’t had a mouse since. It’s only been a year but it’s worked great. I have multiple window bird feeders and the Plantskydd hasn’t had any effect on the birds, at least not at the feeders.
Hi Christine, the little black seeds you’re seeing are in fact a shell, and inside of the black shell is the meat of the seed that the birds actually eat. Hope that helps!
In the article above you make reference to the ‘shells’ of the nyjer seed accumulating at the bottom of one of the feeders…..there are shells on these seeds?? Perhaps they sell it both ways-in the shell and out??-because I have only ever used a sock feeder that comes with the seed in it already, and I cannot even imagine that this tiny little oblong tapered seed has a shell on it.
I would love to see the double decker platform feeder…sure bet its pretty cool!
Lowe’s sells the socks for $5.00 in Southern California.
Just to let you know, not all Nyjer seed is grown overseas and is sterile. Here in Eugene Or there is a company that grows it and sell it for bird seed, at least around Oregon. Camas Country Mill grows is and yes, it will grow under your feeder (and in it if you don’t remove the wet seed fast enough in winter) It is really great to have a local resource for this great food
We too have the Droll Yankee Finch feeder. By using a rain baffle and hanging it beneath a mature maple tree, we’ve succeeded in keeping moisture out of it.
How expensive are the no/no screen feeders?
NIger seeds (Guizotia abyssinica )are a totally different species than thistle. The plants look nothing like thistle and have yellow flowers. So rest assured, if you have thistle in your yard, it’s not from the finch sock.
Yes, I’ve notice the same thing. These socks are not easy to find and are expensive.
I just purchased black socks. The finches are avoiding the black socks and prefer the white ones. Does anyone know why?
t
Finches eat black oil sunflower seeds in the shell like there is no tomorrow! House finches are also very fond of safflower seeds in the shell & grape jelly from the oriole feeders
Never use thistlesocks or any kind of nylon netting to hold bird seeds!! Birds can get their claws caught up in the small holes and next thing you will find is a dead bird hanging upside down from your sock because it was unable to get detangled. And of course commonsense would dictate not using them. Imagine a sharp claw getting stuck in one of the holes and unable to unattach! Over and over again you see the comments on facebook bird pages of the experiences of those trying to find good feeding methods for their backyard birds and turning away from these types of feeders. They’re only convenient for the humans, not for the birds. Just stop putting them in harm’s way.
I used a finch sock and now have thistle weed all over my back yard, I know it says the seed is sterilized so it won’t grow, but I’m not so sure about that. My yard seems to be the only one effected at this point and I don’t want it to go into the neighbors. Thistle has runners underground so no matter how we tried to dig and pull the weeds we just couldn’t make a dent. Unfortunately we had to invest in a monthly yard treatment.
Thanks for sharing this info! I’ll share that the Goldfinch feeder that works fantastically well in my back yard is the Droll Yankees Bottoms Up Feeder: https://www.urbannaturestore.ca/bottoms-up-16-finch-feeder/ . I live in an urban area (Toronto, Canada) and my feeders can be overrun with House Sparrows and Starlings unless I take measures to try to exclude those species at least a little. At the upside-down tube feeder, so far only the Goldfinches are able to get the nyjer seed, so the feeder doesn’t need to be refilled every day. (Must admit, though, today I was amused to see a female Red-Winged Blackbird at this feeder — she figured it out! I don’t mind since RWBB are indigenous.) So far this feeder also excludes House Finches (indigenous to the southwest), which otherwise devour everything in sight within hours, including everything in the nyjer socks.
I only have room for two feeder, one is a block feeder and the other is a very nice double decker platform feeder with a roof for my doves and others. I use a local blend from my feed store: white millet, black oil sf seeds and chicken scratch; cracked corn & wheat..can I add some niger to that to attract finches? Will they find it?
Hi Scott,
I have the Droll Yankee Nyjer Feeder and I love it. The problem is that the goldfinches have gone away for the summer and I want to attract them back. How about putting sunflowers chips in the nyjer feeder to attract finches but keep the house sparrows away?
My goldfinches have left as well, if you figure out the secret let me know, but I think using sunflower chips is a good idea to try!
Great info on finch feeders! I thought I’d mention that American goldfinches do indeed eat sunflowers in the shell — with the caveat being that they are black oil sunflower seeds, which are smaller and thinner-shelled than the seed grown for human consumption. In addition to feeder seed, goldfinches immensely enjoy plantings of wild sunflower, rudbeckia, coneflower, and of course native thistles (like Cirsium discolor, a.k.a. field thistle). I’ve had triple the amount of finches since I’ve added these plants to my garden.
I agree with you Laura. Since writing that article I have heard they enjoy BOS too, but to be honest I have never seen it at my feeders. Probably because I always have kernels or nyjer available! Thanks for commenting.
We have two sock feeders, each with a printed design. These hang on a double Shepard’s hook on the west side of our home.
One: This sock has a goldfinch picture on a plant design with redbuds or leaves on it. They seem to work this feeding sock the most! Regardless of location we refill this sock three times as frequently as the sock two.
Two: This sock has a flower design with green leaves & yellow flowers. They rarely visit this sock unless sock one is empty.
Question: Has anyone else noticed a similar preference for the specific print on the sock?
I have never heard of that before. Are there any other differences between the socks, or just artistic design? Interesting.
Hi, we are new using a birder feeder as I have a garden with plants that provide food for birds. But someone gave me a little sock bird feeder (w/o the nyjer). So I set it up and immediately had 17 lesser goldfinches using it. But I am worried aboutmice and rats because the birds spill all sorts of hulls and somw seed on the ground. The gal at wild bird said the rodents won’t be interested in what drops. But would like a second opinion as that it hard to believe. Thanks! Oh and any ideas on preventing all or any rodents when feeding birds.
Hey Terry! My thoughts agree with the lady you spoke with. I don’t think rodents will be interested in the few nyjer seeds that fall to the ground uneaten. The mice definitely are not going to eat the hulls, they are going to be much more interested in bigger seeds such as sunflower or peanuts. So to prevent them try and keep the area under your feeders as clean as possible. Using a no-mess bird food blend is a good way to start and also use a feeder that has a tray to catch falling seed. Have you had issues with rodents? Or just trying to be preventative?
Do any nyger feeders have a rain baffle?
I really really have to disagree. Unfortunately the nyjer seed DOES grow!! There is forever seedlings popping up under the feeders and anywhere else they get blown to. I’ve had to dig out hundreds and hundreds. Lucky you if yours don’t grow but mine certainly do! In a perfect world the finches would drop seeds only on the tray but in reality they get dropped everywhere when they’re looking around while eating. Nyjer is very messy and I’ve yet to find a way around it without putting a large bin underneath and still odd bits land and grow.
Hello Clare! That is interesting, I have never had nyjer grow. Where do you purchase yours from? I’m guessing there are no other seeds around that could be the culprit?
The socks work great but they get torn apart by squirrels, large birds in a day or so
I bought a tube feeder which I love. Have it by my kitchen window and 2 pairs of goldfinches visited constantly. Until the perches (plastic) broke! Darn. What tube feeder is there that has stronger perches? I miss my goldfinches
Hello Roberta! I would recommend the No/No Screen Finch feeder listed above. It’s made entirely of metal and should stand up to the squirrels. If you fill it with nyjer seed they should leave it alone anyway. Also, check out my article on window feeders (https://birdwatchinghq.com/window-bird-feeders/) and try either of the plastic window feeders that suction right on your window. Then fill with hulled sunflower. My goldfinches visit daily and I can see them while drinking coffee from my kitchen table!
I’m new at bird feeding. I started with a regular bird feeder and I have noticed mostly finches, which I enjoy. I recently bought a finch sock hoping to attract more. I hung it fairly close to my other feeder. Will the finches go there since it looks so different and they are comfortable with the other one??
Have you had any luck with the finch sock? I had the same concern when I first hung them, but the goldfinches found and used them on the first day. My guess is that by the time I replied you experienced the same thing?
I have both sock & metal mesh Nyjer feeders on my lanai, attracting at least a dozen goldfinches & house finches at a time. Problem: even though I put trays & hoops under them, a great deal of seed is wasted, scattered all over the lanai, and hard to clean up. At least the squirrels don’t like it, but if they did maybe they would clean up the mess. What more can I do to keep my lanai clean & presentable without working so hard?
Aloha,
Roz
Even though nyjer is small, it contains a tiny seed inside. So when birds eat it they are actually dispatching the black husks to get to the good stuff. Take a closer look at the seed that is falling and it is probably mostly the husks. Unfortunately, if you feed nyjer you are going to have a mess underneath from the black outer shells that the birds don’t eat.
I just bought a roll of screen that I am going to use to catch husks. It should be easy to empty and clean. I have positioned the feeders behind a bench and the screen on the ground is catalogued.
finally i found the best feeder reading your article thanks a lot.
Glad to hear! Which one was your favorite?
Mesh Feeders is my favorite for my Finch