Who's at my feeder?

Bird food

Nyjer seed

The tiny black seed goldfinches, siskins and redpolls love. It needs its own feeder and goes stale faster than most seed.

  • 23 of 98common feeder birds eat it (Project FeederWatch)
American Goldfinch – one of the birds that eat nyjer seed
Photo lwolfartist / iNaturalist, CC BY

UK advice since 2026: the RSPB and BTO recommend pausing seed and peanuts from 1 May to 31 October to slow trichomonosis in finches; mealworms, fat balls and suet in small amounts are fine. Sources: RSPB, BTO.

Who eats it

Which birds eat nyjer seed?

Feeder birds that Project FeederWatch lists for this food – shown here with a species guide where we have one.

  1. American Goldfinch at a feeder

    American Goldfinch

  2. American Tree Sparrow at a feeder

    American Tree Sparrow

  3. Black-capped Chickadee at a feeder

    Black-capped Chickadee

  4. Boreal Chickadee at a feeder

    Boreal Chickadee

  5. Carolina Chickadee at a feeder

    Carolina Chickadee

  6. Cassin's Finch at a feeder

    Cassin's Finch

  7. Chestnut-backed Chickadee at a feeder

    Chestnut-backed Chickadee

  8. Chipping Sparrow at a feeder

    Chipping Sparrow

  9. Dark-eyed Junco at a feeder

    Dark-eyed Junco

  10. Fox Sparrow at a feeder

    Fox Sparrow

  11. House Finch at a feeder

    House Finch

  12. Inca Dove at a feeder

    Inca Dove

The essentials

What to know

  • Nyjer (Guizotia abyssinica) is imported (FeederWatch: from Africa) and heat-treated before import to prevent sprouting. (Project FeederWatch)
  • Attracts finches incl. American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, Common Redpoll; needs a feeder with very small ports. (Project FeederWatch)
  • Audubon: preferred food of American and Lesser Goldfinches, House Finches and Common Redpolls; offer nyjer, sunflower and peanuts in separate feeders. (Audubon)
  • Illinois Extension recommends not mixing nyjer with other birdseed to avoid waste. (Illinois Extension)
  • Mass Audubon: preferred by small finches, redpolls and Pine Siskins; use tube or sock feeders with small holes. (Audubon)
  • Audubon Mixology: goldfinches and Pine Siskins favor nyjer and fine seed fragments in specialized feeders. (Audubon)

Storage

Storage and freshness

  • Birds & Blooms: nyjer tends to go bad faster than other seeds and can quickly mold if it gets wet in storage or in the feeder. (Birds & Blooms)
  • Damp seed may grow mold that can be fatal to birds; keep cool and dry. (Audubon)
  • NWF: birds learn to avoid feeders with consistently old, moldy or inedible seed. (National Wildlife Federation)

Season

When to feed it

  • US: suitable year-round; nyjer is among energy-rich winter foods. (Project FeederWatch)
  • UK: nyjer is a seed – pause 1 May–31 Oct per RSPB/BTO 2026 guidance. (BTO)

Mistakes

Common mistakes

UK

In the UK

  • BTO: nyjer (nyger) is oil-rich, ideal for delicate-billed birds, needs a specially adapted feeder. BTO Goldfinch feeding study: sunflower hearts overwhelmingly preferred, nyjer second. (BTO)

What to buy

Nyjer seed to buy

5 lbWagner's 62051 Nyjer Seed20 lbWagner's 62053 Nyjer Seed3 lbKaytee Nyjer Seedalso 5/8/20 lb listings5 lbWagner's Nyjer Seed20 lbWagner's Nyjer Seed5 lbWild Delight Special Finchfinch blend, not pure nyjer

Shop links may earn us a commission. The price stays the same for you. Prices as seen on 30 Sep 2026; Amazon prices are not shown.

Questions

Nyjer seed: questions

Is nyjer the same as thistle?

No. Nyjer comes from an African daisy (Guizotia abyssinica); it is sold as 'thistle' but is not related. It is heat-treated before import so it does not sprout.

Why are goldfinches not eating my nyjer?

Most often the seed is old, dry or has got wet and mouldy. Buy small amounts, keep it dry and replace seed that has been in the feeder for weeks.

What feeder do I need for nyjer?

A tube feeder with small ports or a mesh 'sock'. In an ordinary feeder the tiny seed spills out.

More bird food

Other feeding guides