Why Aren’t Finches Coming to My Feeder?
Bird owners who set up a feeder for their birds eagerly wait for them to come to the feeder and eat from it. But often, birds remain too choosy about feeders, and a feeder might not be appealing to them because of certain issues.
In case you are raising finches in your backyard or in an aviary, you might also notice their aversion toward feeders. In such situations, you might wonder, why aren’t finches coming to my feeder?
If you know the actual reasons for this issue, you can take the necessary steps to deal with them. This article could be your savior and help you find out why your finches are not eating from your feeder.
Why don’t Finches Eat from Feeder?
Among the common queries of finch owners, the most asked question is about their finches not going to the feeder for eating. There are several reasons behind such behavior. Here we are going to discuss the most common reasons.
Keeping the Feeder Dirty
Basically, dirty feeders are one of the main reasons that your finches don’t want to come to the feeders.
As finches have natural instincts about finding their own food in forests, they do not like to have food from dirty places. So, if you’re wondering why are finches not coming to my finch feeder, this could be the most possible reason.
Moldy and Clamped Seeds
Whether you keep nyjer seeds or sunflower seeds in the feeder for your finches, they won’t eat unless the seeds are fresh.
These seeds can get clamped because of moisture and rainwater. Besides, if the seeds remain damp in the feeder for several days, molds and bacteria can affect them. Finches will not come to the feeder if they notice such seeds.
Keeping the Feeder Empty for too Long
Empty feeders can be a big reason for your finches not going near the feeder. Whether finches are living as house pets or in aviaries, they expect their feeder to contain food whenever they go there.
So, if they notice their feeder is kept empty frequently, they tend to lose interest in going to the feeder for eating.
Providing Dry Seeds on the Feeder
Almost every type of seed becomes dry if kept open for too long. Generally, finches eat nyjer seeds and sunflower seeds that contain nutritious oil. If these seeds are kept in the feeder for a couple of days, the oil disappears, and they become dry.
Finches often don’t want to eat these dry seeds, and this can be a reason why they do not want to go to the feeder.
Hanging the Feeder in a Wrong Way
You should hang bird feeders at such a height so that birds can sit on them comfortably and have their food.
If you hang the feeder lower in any tree branch, it will not attract your finches as they love to sit on higher tree branches. Besides, hanging them under the open sky without any shades often doesn’t seem appealing to them.
How to Attract Finches to the Feeder?
In case you notice that your finches are not going to the feeder and aren’t eating from it; you should follow some techniques that can help you to attract the finches to the feeder. Here are some tips that might help.
Providing Fresh Seeds
Make sure to provide fresh seeds in the feeder that contain an essential amount of oil. If you buy a large amount of seed, remember to store them in an airtight box. Besides, you can also freeze them easily for a couple of weeks.
If your finches are not eating the seeds actively, replace them twice a day. As a result, your finches will get fresh seeds every time they eat and will be attracted to the feeder. Otherwise, those seeds will be damp because of moisture, and the finches won’t eat them from the feeder.
Maintaining Proper Food Types
When you are raising finches, you should know which food is essential to them. If your finches love vegetables and fruits along with the seeds, you can mix them together and put them on the feeder plate. This will make them come to the feeder frequently.
But in case you are putting slices of fruits and vegetables in the feeder, make sure to replace them after a couple of hours.
Cleaning the Feeder Regularly
The best way to attract your finches to the feeder is to keep it squeaky clean. Try to clean it at least twice a month in summer and winter.
But in the rainy season, you should clean it once a week. Because, at this time of the year, there is excessive moisture in the weather that might make the seeds damp.
You can use only water to clean the feeder, but in case of proper cleaning, bleach mixed water can be a better option.
Protecting the Feeder from Direct Sun and Rain
The seeds in the feeder can lose their freshness in direct sun and rain. They might get too dry under direct sun or can get clamped together during rain. So, you should always be careful about finding a suitable location for the feeder.
Try to hang the feeder in such a tree branch where leaves can be a shelter to it. Thus, the seeds will be protected from unfavorable weather conditions and your finches can eat from the feeder without any concern.
Customizing the Feeder
Finches have high-color sensitivity, and they are attracted to bright colors more than anything. So, if you can customize the colors and designs of the feeder, you can undoubtedly attract your finches.
Attaching some colorful tape or ribbon might be a good option to attract your finches. Besides, you can also get some bright-colored flowering plants near the feeder to make it more attractive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best food that can attract finches to the feeder?
Different types of seeds contain nutritious oil and many other nutrients that are essential for finches to maintain good health. Among varieties of seeds, nyjer seeds and sunflower seeds are their most favorite ones. These seeds can easily attract them to the feeder.
When is the best time to feed your finches?
Generally, you can feed your finches wherever they are ready to eat. But the best time is considered in the early morning after sunrise. It is better to feed them between 7-11 am.
Which type of feeder is more appealing to the finches?
You will find various types of feeders in the market, but among them, the sock feeders are their favorite. Because the finches can easily climb them up and cling to them while eating.
Final Words
Finches are seed-eating birds, and they like to eat seeds and grains from the feeder while being house birds. Though the finches do not like to go to the feeder for certain reasons, you can take care of them by following the tips mentioned above.
If you were thinking why aren’t finches coming to my feeder; hopefully, this article gave you a relief. Try to keep the feeder well-maintained and provide fresh seeds regularly so that your feathered pets can eat well and be healthy.
