Nest box

Mach Two

I am hoping to put a few next boxs up shortly to attract some gold finchs. Any hints to get them to nest in them.

OpenYourEyes

Goldfinches don't nest in nestboxes. You might get Blue Tits, Great Tits, House Sparrows, Starlings, Robins or Blackbirds depending on the type and size of box you put out.

x567

Goldfinches usually build nests in trees and bushes. I think they only rarely nest in a box as they wouldn’t tend to seek out cavities - which a box usually mimics - to nest in in nature. If you have trees/bushes in your garden and use food to attract them then you might get nests; but do put up the boxes - you never know, and someone will use them!

Birdwatch Ireland, the BTO and some on-line suppliers have good guides to nest boxes that are worth a look. E.g. https://birdwatchireland.ie/irelands-birds-birdwatch-ireland/garden-birds/nestboxes/

Jim_Hodge

Not a hope of getting goldfinches in a nest box. But put as many up as you can anyway.

Mach Two

I have goldfinchs nesting in the garden already. I was hoping to get them to nest in the next box as well. I was thinking of widening the hole and making a slot across the top of the box. It might make it more attractive to them. Are they territorial?

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121549409#Comment_121549409

They're not particularly territorial but don't nest in colonies either. That box idea just will not work.

Alun

Forget trying to get goldfinches to nest in a box they just won't do it. We have loads of them on our feeders, and they come in in small flocks, so they're not particularly territorial or aggressive, but they do squabble a lot over places on the feeder and it can get a bit frantic at times.

At the moment we have a pair of blackcaps in residence and they're extremely territorial. No other birds get a look in at the feeders while they're on them, they just get chased off.

By all means put up nest boxes for species that do use them like blue tits. We have a nest box in our garden that gets a pair of blue tits in it every year.

Mach Two

Which seeds do goldfinchs eat that I can buy in the shops.

Alun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121550039#Comment_121550039

Nijer seeds are good for finches, but you need a special nijer seed feeder as the seeds are very small and will fall out of the ports of normal feeders.

Alternatively kibbled sunflower hearts are very popular with both finches and other birds and can be used in a normal feeder.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121550039#Comment_121550039

To be honest, I've had them at the peanuts and general mixed seed just as much as at nijer or sunflower seeds. They also seem to prefer natural seeds growing in the garden.

x567

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121550996#Comment_121550996

Agree 100%. Happily we have loads of them at our feeders with no special seeds put out for them…

Mach Two

Is it good or bad to feed wild birds all the time. Do they become dependent on food being provided for them instead of searching for food themselves.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121551987#Comment_121551987

RSPB and BTO research strongly supports feeding all year round.

Mach Two

Is winter feeding on its own good or bad?

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121553009#Comment_121553009

What could be bad about it?

Mach Two

An over dependence on food being provided for them.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121553831#Comment_121553831

When natural sources are becoming more and more scarce? Not at all.

Mach Two

Correct. Less and less weeds and seeds available for consumption.

Mach Two

Put up my new bird feeder yesterday. I see a robin on it today. It has a mixture of nuts and seeds in it.

What does the feeder for sunflower seeds look like. And the nijer seeds. What kind of feeder is required for them?

Should a table be put under the feeders in order to catch any seeds that fall from the feeders.

Mach Two

Do long tailed tits come to the bird feeder?

x567

They come to some of mine - the ones that are nearer to bushes / cover and are further from the house. Usually a few of them at the same time…

Alun

We get them here, they tend to arrive in small flocks and disappear again quite quickly so easy to miss.

They're quite noisy and frantic too, lovely birds.

Mach Two

I see some around so I was wondering if they came to the feeders. I bought a feeder and feed. They seem to be throwing a lot of it out. I think they are searching for certain seeds. So a new mix will have to be bought.