The American Goldfinch is a welcome sight at any bird feeder, known for its bright yellow plumage and cheerful song. Bird feeding enthusiasts often seek food that attracts desired species while discouraging less welcome guests. This balancing act leads many to consider specialized seeds like safflower, which is often avoided by common feeder pests.
Goldfinches and Safflower Seeds: The Direct Answer
Goldfinches can consume safflower seeds, but they are not a primary food choice. Safflower seeds are a high-energy food source, containing significant fat, protein, and carbohydrates, making them nutritionally valuable. However, Goldfinches generally find them challenging to access due to their physical characteristics.
The Goldfinch possesses a small, conical beak, expertly adapted for extracting tiny seeds from composite flower heads. Safflower seeds have a notably tough, white shell. Cracking this hard outer layer requires a stronger, more robust beak, such as those found on Northern Cardinals or grosbeaks. Consequently, Goldfinches typically only turn to safflower when preferred, easier-to-access food sources are unavailable.
Primary Food Preferences of Goldfinches
The Goldfinch is a highly granivorous bird, meaning its diet is almost exclusively composed of seeds, even when feeding its young. They actively seek seeds that are small, rich in oil, and easy to dehull with their specialized beaks. Their top preference at feeders is Nyjer seed, often mistakenly called thistle seed, which is tiny and high in fat.
Another highly favored food source is black oil sunflower seed, especially shelled sunflower hearts or chips. These seeds offer high caloric density and are easy for Goldfinches to consume because the tough hull has been removed. In the wild, they naturally gravitate toward the seeds of composite plants like dandelions, ragweed, evening primrose, and true thistle. These wild seeds are small and easily processed, fitting the Goldfinch’s specialized feeding strategy.
Using Safflower Seeds for Feeder Management
Birders often choose safflower seeds not as a Goldfinch favorite, but as a strategic tool for managing feeder populations. Safflower has a somewhat bitter flavor and a hard shell, which acts as a deterrent to common feeder “bully birds.” Species such as European Starlings, House Sparrows, and most squirrels find the taste and effort of cracking the shell unappealing and avoid the seed.
Offering safflower can shift the feeder dynamic by reducing competition from unwanted visitors. While Goldfinches may not select it first, the seed’s presence ensures that other desirable birds, such as cardinals, chickadees, and House Finches, have a reliable, high-protein food source. Providing safflower in a separate feeder helps maintain a more peaceful and diverse feeding station, even if Goldfinches only partake during times of scarcity.