Goldfinches are known for their beautiful vibrant yellow color plumage. They mainly consume seeds of various plants. Different plants attract goldfinches like sunflowers, coneflowers, milkweed, asters, zinnias etc. They have a beautiful melodic voice. You can plant various flowers in your garden to provide seeds to goldfinches for their diet. It will provide beauty to your garden. In this article, I will tell you:
- Preferences of goldfinches,
- Top 10 plants that attracts goldfinches,
- Methods of creating a friendly garden for goldfinches
Let’s start without wasting time!
Understanding Goldfinch Preferences
As a goldfinch lover, you need to understand its behavior to tackle different situations.
Diet and Feeding Routine
The primary diet of goldfinches is seeds. They like various seeds of flowers and plants. They have unique feeding routines that influence various varieties of plants that attract them.
- Seed-Eating: Goldfinches are included in granivores. It means that they rely on these seeds for their diet.
- Nectar and Insects: As you know seeds are their main food item, but they also consume various insects and nectors, during their breeding season to provide proteins to their youngsters.
Seasonal Behavior
Goldfinches show unique and distinct seasonal behavior that also impacts their feeding choice.
- Breeding Season: Late summer is the breeding period of goldfinches. During this period, they consume proteins in their food for the provision of proteins to their chicks.
- Migration Patterns: Goldfinches are popular and famous for their nomadic behavior. When the season changes, they migrate to different areas in search of better food sources and water. Planting is a good source for providing food to them.
Top Plants That Attract Goldfinches
As a goldfinch lover, here, I will tell you the top 10 plants that attract goldfinches.
Sunflowers (Helianthus)
The scientific name of sunflowers is Helianthus. Sunflowers are the favorite plant of the goldfinches due to their large seeds.
- Seed Production: Sunflower seeds are full of various oils and essential nutrients to provide good health to them.
- Variety of Species: Sunflowers have different varieties like sunflower annuus attracts goldfinches. By planting some flowers in your garden, you can enhance the beauty of the garden.
Thistle (Cirsium)
The scientific name of the thistle is Cirsium. It is the second most favorite plant that attracts goldfinches.
- Preferred Seeds: Thistle have different varieties and goldfinches like to consume seeds of common thistle.
- Natural Habitat: For wild goldfinches, thistle seeds are the best option, because there are two varieties of thistle seeds: wild and natural, so they easily rely on wild thistles.
Coneflower (Echinacea)
The scientific name of coneflowers is Echinacea. It is the third favorite food item of goldfinches. Coneflowers have no good appearance.
- Nectar and Seeds: Most adult goldfinches rely on the nectar of coneflowers to feed their youngsters.
- Diverse Colors: By planting different colors of cornflowers in your garden, you can attract goldfinches easily.
Asters (Aster)
Their scientific name is the same as their name. It is one of the favorite plants of goldfinches that attracts them.
- Late-Season Bloomers: They usually bloom in mid-summer and provide food to a large number of birds.
- Seed Heads: Fluffy seed heads become their favorite during the autumn season.
Milkweed (Asclepias)
The scientific name of milkweed is Asclepias. They are famous for attracting monarch butterflies as well as goldfinches.
- Seed Pods: They have smooth and fluffy seed pods that provide additional food to goldfinches.
- Pollinator Friendly: This plant supports different pollinators and enhances overall biodiversity.
Goldenrod (Solidago)
Scientific name of goldenrod is Solidago. Most goldfinches like to consume this native plant.
- Seed Abundance: When they are blooming, they become a source of numerous seeds that are consumed by different birds.
- Attracts Other Wildlife: Not only goldfinches are attracted by this plant, but different birds and insects rely on this plant for their food.
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Scientific name of dill is Anethum graveolens. It is a herb that is liked by goldfinches.
- Seed Availability: They have a large number of seeds available to consume by various birds including goldfinches.
- Provision of Nutrients: You can use it in your cooking to feed your bird and provide essential nutrients.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Scientific name of fennel is Foeniculum vulgare. Like dill, fennel is the favorite plant of goldfinches.
- Nutrient-Rich Seeds: Fennel seeds are full of different nutrients that provide them an essential food item.
- Aromatic Herb: It is an aromatic herb that you can use in cooking food for the goldfinches
Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
The scientific name of the cosmos is Cosmos bipinnatus. Cosmos is a beautiful plant that attracts goldfinches.
- Seed Production: When they are blooming, they provide a large number of seeds for various birds including goldfinches to consume.
- Vibrant Blooms: They can easily grow and provide vibrant colors to your garden
Zinnias (Zinnia elegans)
The scientific name of zinnias is Zinnia elegans. They are very cheerful flowers that attract goldfinches at first sight.
- Seed Heads: When the flowers of zinnias fade, seed heads become a good source of food for goldfinches.
- Long Blooming Season: They have a very long blooming season which is summer. So, zinnia seeds are available to rely on by goldfinches.
Methods of Creating a Goldfinch-Friendly Garden
Here, I will tell you how to create a friendly garden for goldfinches.
Planting Strategies
To create a good and attractive garden for goldfinches, you should adopt the following strategies:
- Diverse Plant Selection: Start planting different perennials and grasses that will produce various seeds throughout the year.
- Native Plants: You should plant only those plants that are familiar to local birds as well as goldfinches.
Garden Layout
You should plan the layout of your garden in such a way that it attracts birds.
- Open Spaces: You should have a large and open area for planting different plants that attract birds.
- Natural Cover: You should plant small trees that provide shade and shelter to goldfinches.
Water Sources
To increase the attractiveness of the garden, water the grown plants daily to make them clean.
- Birdbaths: It is better to fit different birdbaths for drinking water and bathing in your garden.
- Regular Maintenance: You should provide a clean water source to the goldfinch.
Best Times for Observing Goldfinches
While observing goldfinches at different times in your garden, you should follow various tips.
- Early Morning and Late Afternoon: During early morning and late afternoon, goldfinches are most ready for feeding seeds and nectars.
- Quiet Observation: You can use various binoculars and cameras to quietly observe behavior of goldfinches from a distance.
Conclusion
By growing various plants in your garden, you can attract goldfinches. By planting flowers like sunflowers, cone flowers, thistles etc, you can create a friendly environment for these melodic birds. If you provide food, shelter and other things to goldfinches, then they will remain in your garden throughout the year. With a little effort, you can enjoy the bird watching from your garden at no cost.
If you find any difficulty, while reading the article, ask me in the comment box, I will reply to you soon.
Thanks for reading!
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I’m Amna, and I absolutely adore birds, especially parrots. I’ve been immersed in the world of these colorful feathered friends for over 10 years. While I’m not a bird doctor, I’ve gathered a wealth of knowledge on how to care for and understand them.
My experiences extend to various bird species like parrots, macaws, cockatoos, canaries, and finches. In addition to my personal adventures with birds, I’ve dedicated time to volunteering at a local bird rehabilitation center.
My true passion lies in sharing what I know about parrots and birds with you. Through my articles, I aim to share the information you need to provide the very best care for your avian companions. So, let’s embark on this journey together and make your feathered friends’ lives as joyful and healthy as possible!