How to Attract Goldfinches in Winter: 8 Tips for Luring These Beauties (2024)

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To attract goldfinches in winter, you’ll need the right blend of feeders, seed, water sources, and nesting materials.

Use mesh or sock feeders filled with fresh nyjer seed and black oil sunflower seeds.

Provide shallow, clean water from baths or drippers near dense evergreen shrubs.

Supply nesting materials like thistle down, milkweed fluff, and overgrown grasses.

Offer shelter from these native plants – dogwood, hawthorn, willow – and evergreen thickets.

With careful preparation, you can entice these striking yellow birds to grace your winter backyard.

Want to uncover more tips for luring goldfinches when temperatures drop

How to Attract Goldfinches in Winter?

To attract goldfinches in winter, provide nyjer seed in specialized finch feeders with tiny feeding ports, and offer water sources like heated birdbaths or drippers to provide drinking and bathing opportunities. Goldfinches also appreciate nesting materials like thistle down and places with dense shrubs or evergreen thickets to seek shelter from the cold.

Goldfinch Feeders

You’ll need the right feeders to attract goldfinches.

Opt for tube feeders, mesh feeders, or feeder socks designed specifically for these feisty birds’ smaller beaks and feeding habits.

Finch stations are also a great choice, combining multiple feeding ports into one convenient unit.

Look for labels like "ultra wild finch blend" or "nyjer seed" when stocking up – goldfinches go crazy for these tiny, nutrient-rich seeds.

Position your feeders near thistle plants or natural cover, and you’ll have these colorful acrobats visiting in no time.

Goldfinch Seed

To attract goldfinches during the winter months, you should offer a high-quality seed mix containing nyjer seed and black oil sunflower seeds, as these are two of their absolute favorite foods.

Nyjer seed’s small size and high oil content make it an ideal choice.

While sunflower seeds provide an excellent supplementary source of protein and energy for these energetic little birds.

Nyjer Seed

You’ll attract more goldfinches by investing in quality nyjer seed feeders and stocking up on fresh nyjer seed, their absolute favorite. Look for well-known brands, and store the tiny black seeds properly to prevent spoilage. Nyjer gets pricier in winter due to demand, but these cheerful songbirds are worth it!

Sunflower Seeds

In addition to Nyjer seed, you’ll want to offer sunflower seeds, which goldfinches love for their high oil content and easy-to-eat size and shape. Go for black oil sunflower seeds or a wild finch blend containing sunflower hearts and chips – the latter have the outer shell removed for maximum convenience.

Water Sources

Providing a shallow water source, no deeper than 1-1.5 inches, is essential for attracting goldfinches during the winter months. Adding a dripper or solar fountain helps keep the water from freezing, ensuring the birds have access to fresh water.

Shallow Baths

Provide shallow bird baths, around 1-1.5 inches deep, for goldfinches to bathe and drink from. Place the baths near nesting sites and surrounded by native plants, avoiding invasive species. Keep the water clean, replenishing it frequently during nesting season when bathing is essential for feather maintenance and nest hygiene.

Drippers or Fountains

You’ll also want to offer a dripper or solar-powered fountain to entice goldfinches. Place these near feeders, making sure shallow depths around 1-1.5 inches. Using warm water or a submersible heater during winter attracts finches and prevents freezing. However, guarantee moving parts don’t pose risks, like tangling feet in threads or cotton-like materials.

Nesting Materials

To attract nesting goldfinches during winter, provide materials like thistle down, milkweed down, and cattail fluff which they use to construct their cozy accommodations. Offering these soft, insulating fibers can encourage goldfinches to take up residency in your yard, providing endless opportunities to observe their vibrant plumage and lively antics.

Thistle Down

You’ll also want to provide thistle down for nesting material. Leave standing thistle plants through winter so goldfinches can collect the soft, fluffy down. Store extra thistle down in mesh bags or nylon socks for easy distribution near nesting sites.

Milkweed Down

Another excellent nesting material is milkweed down from seed heads. Grow native milkweeds to host butterflies and provide downy fluff goldfinches prize for lining their intricate nests. Combine with coneflowers, zinnias, and sunflowers for all-around bird and pollinator paradise.

Cattail Fluff

Those fluffy cattail heads are goldfinch nesting gold! Mix them into your brush piles along with hawthorn branches for extra insulation. The downy fluff helps fortify their winter nests against harsh winds and snowstorms, keeping those vibrant finches toasty.

Nesting Sites

To provide ideal nesting sites for goldfinches during winter, cultivate dense evergreen shrubs like juniper, yew, and arborvitae in your landscape, as these thickets offer sheltered areas for roosting and constructing well-concealed nests. Additionally, leave unmaintained areas with overgrown grasses, brambles, or brush piles, which mimic the tangled understories goldfinches favor for nesting.

Dense Shrubs

Provide dense, thicket-like shrubs like dogwood, elderberry, buttonbush, hawthorn, and willow for ideal goldfinch nesting sites. Look for varieties with dense foliage in shaded locations, vertical forks at suitable nesting heights of 3-8 feet. Native shrubs like joe pye weed, cup plant, and flogman’s thistle create excellent protective covers.

Evergreen Thickets

Evergreen thickets offer ideal nesting sites for goldfinches. You’ll attract more birds by providing:

• Dense evergreen cover, like spruce or juniper
• Vertical forks and sturdy branches for nest support
• Shaded locations, as goldfinches prefer dappled sunlight

Suitable evergreen options include low-growing shrubs, fruit trees, willows, and Monterey pines. The thick foliage offers concealment and protection.

Shelter Plants

To provide winter shelter for goldfinches, incorporate deciduous trees and evergreen shrubs into your landscaping. These plants offer protective cover and roosting sites when their foliage remains intact during the cold months.

Deciduous Trees

For shelter, plant deciduous trees with irregular branch structures that retain seeds through winter. Mulberry, birch, and crabapple trees provide food and sanctuary. Consider fall foliage color and bark texture variety, ensuring year-round interest for finches like lesser goldfinches.

Tree	Fall Foliage	Bark	Seeds
Mulberry	Yellow	Furrowed	Yes
Birch	Yellow	Peeling	No
Crabapple	Red	Smooth	Yes

Evergreen Shrubs

For evergreen cover, grow dense shrubs like juniper or yew. These provide:

• Vertical support for nests
• Shaded locations preferred
• Natural nesting materials nearby
• Dry shelter with protection from wind

Place shallow baths or drippers nearby for hydration. Attract house finches and Lawrence’s goldfinches too with this winter haven!

Seed-Bearing Flowers

You can attract goldfinches in winter by planting seed-bearing flowers like coneflowers, sunflowers, and zinnias. These vibrant blooms will provide a rich source of nourishment for the birds when other food sources are scarce, enticing them to frequent your garden or yard.

Coneflowers

You’ll also attract goldfinches by planting vibrant coneflowers. Native varieties like purple coneflower provide seed heads goldfinches relish. Interplant with complementary plants and make certain winter protection is in place for continued seed accessibility.

Sunflowers

You should also plant sunflowers, which goldfinches love for their abundant seeds. Try different varieties, ensuring full sun exposure. Monitor for pests, and let spent heads dry on plants for goldfinches to feast on.

Zinnias

You’ll attract even more goldfinches by planting zinnias – their vibrant blooms produce:

1. Rich nectar
2. Abundant seeds
3. Valuable habitat

Zinnias support pollinator populations and help offset habitat loss through nectar sources and seed dispersal.

Winter Feeding

To attract goldfinches during the colder months, consider installing a heated birdbath to provide a consistent source of unfrozen water. Additionally, position shelters or dense shrubbery near your feeders to shield the birds from harsh winter winds and inclement weather.

Heated Birdbaths

You’ll need a heated birdbath to keep water from freezing, allowing goldfinches access during winter. Solar-powered models are energy-efficient, though electrical ones work too—just make certain of proper placement near outlets. Position it near sheltering plants, but avoid areas where melting water could refreeze into slippery hazards. The warmth attracts these feisty beauties.

Shelter From Wind

In winter, you’ll also want to provide sheltered areas with wind breaks to shield your feathered friends from harsh, blustery winds. Dense evergreen plantings, fences, or walls create natural windbreaks, preventing wind tunnels and channels from forming in your yard—a warm refuge for goldfinches to take cover.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)