These golden stars are wonderful to have visiting your yard. Attract them with fresh nyjer or our WBU Finch Blend (nyjer and fine sunflower chips). They love sunflower out of the shell so will also visit feeders offering this. They are pure seed eaters. If they eat an insect it is by accident! Native plants can also attract them. Leave your sunflowers, coneflowers and others up in the fall and let the finches eat the seed heads! 

Unlike many birds, American Goldfinches molt their body feathers twice a year, in the spring before breeding and after nesting in the fall. They stay here all year round too! The males will lose their golden colour and look similar to the females throughout winter.

Keeping your feeder clean is key to keeping your birds happy and healthy. Finches can be prone to eye infections which can spread throughout other birds on a crowded feeder. Regular washes and fresh seed will help to prevent this occurring. Use dish detergent and hot water, a cleaning brush and rinse thoroughly. Let your feeder dry completely before putting fresh seed in it. If you are concerned you can also use a very weak bleach solution - just make sure you rinse the feeder and all components thoroughly.