Top 5 Things to Know about Niger Seed

1)  WHEN NIGER SEED DRIES OUT, BIRDS WON'T EAT IT 
Niger is a oily seed which makes it an excellent energy source for the birds that eat it.  But its oily nature also causes it to dry out AND LOSE ITS ATTRACTIVENESS TO BIRDS. 

Birds will turn their beaks to old niger seed.  Avoid waste by only purchasing niger in a quantity you'll use in a month or two.

2)  NIGER SEED IS NOT THISTLE SEED (AND OTHER CONFUSING THINGS ABOUT THE NAME)
Niger seed used to be called thistle, but it is not the noxious thistle weed we see growing on roadsides.  It typically will not germinate under your feeders since the USDA requires that all niger seed imported to this country be heat-treated to sterilize the seed.

Niger seed can also be kind of dusty so seed processors may add a small amount of vegetable oil to the seed before bagging to keep the dust down.

Niger is an agricultural crop imported primarily from India, Ethiopia, Nepal and Burma (Myanmar). In these countries, it is processed into both cooking and lighting oil. You may also see it called nyjer or Nyger®.

3)  NIGER SEED HAS A SHELL
As small as it is, a niger seed does have a shell.  If you think birds aren't eating the seed because you see some on the ground, examine it more closely: you may be seeing mostly the thin niger hulls.

Goldfinches at WBU Eco-Clean Quick Clean Finch Feeder

4)  WHEN NIGER SEED GETS MOLDY, IT IS BAD FOR THE BIRDS
Niger seed is vulnerable to spoilage while in the feeder. Replace niger seed every 3-4 weeks if it is not being actively eaten.

Shake the feeder daily to help prevent clumping and mold. Make sure the seed stays dry; a weather guard can help in this regard. If bird activity slows, only fill the feeder halfway.

If the seed gets moldy, it should be discarded and a 10% bleach/water solution should be used to clean the feeder. The WBU EcoClean Finch Feeder has antimicrobial protection and a Quick-Clean™ base to help make cleaning a snap!

Common Redpolls eat niger seed from a mesh finch feeder.

5)  MORE SPECIES THAN JUST GOLDFINCHES EAT NIGER SEED
Niger seed is one of the favorite seeds of goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Common Redpolls and other small-billed seed-eating birds.  We've also seen nuthatches, chickadees, doves, Downy Woodpeckers, and other small birds eating it.  Let me know other birds you've seen eating niger.

And a bonus to feeding niger seed?  Squirrels typically ignore it when fed straight up!  So hang those niger feeders and enjoy the finches and other birds!

Buy FRESH niger seed online.

Comments

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Annick, great activity on that niger seed! Thanks for reporting in!
Joyce, I would recommend investing in an easy to clean feeder. It might be a little more expensive but it will last you for years. Check out WBU's Quick Clean finch feeders as well as the anti-microbial ones http://shop.wbu.com/products/productdetail/part_number=3442/567.0?os=354
Happy feeding and thanks for working hard to maintain a clean SAFE feeder for the birds!

[Joyce]

I don't have a problem attracting Gold Finches I have a plastic feeder which I clean often but cannot seem to figure out how to clean the holes around where they feed. I tried long brushes & soaking but it doesn't seem to work.

[Annick]

I have Cardinals, Nuthatches, Dark eye Juncos, House finches, and of course Chickadees, Goldfinches and Downys eating the Niger seed this winter.
Annick

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Jenifer, like you said, finches are finicky and all birds have habits like we do. They're used to the socks and just need some time to get used to the look and feel of the new feeders. Put them exactly where the socks were, fill them with fresh seed, and allow time (it could be weeks, because finches move around alot). Good luck!

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Kathleen, niger seed that is 2 years old, no matter where you bought it, will be dried out and not attractive to the birds. Use niger seed up in 2-3 months after purchasing from a bird-feeding hobby shop. Buy it elsewhere, you have NO IDEA how long they've had it on their shelves!

[Jenifer]

Finches are finicky little birds. Mine come when I buy the "cheap" socks, already filled with seed. Environmentally this isn't my preferred way to feed, so I have tried multiple finch feeders and they reject them all. Eventually, I bring back the socks and they flock to them.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance. I enjoy reading your articles.

[Kathleen]

Goldfinches especially used to be regular feeders from our niger sock. Then I noticed that birds no longer ate from our niger sock unless the sunflower seed feeders were entirely empty. A few months ago I thought the sock might have mildew, so washed and bleached it. Today, when I refilled it, it seemed that the seeds had a bit of a rancid smell. I decided to hang it and see if the birds were interested at all. Having found and read your post, perhaps I won't wait too long before dumping. What is a reasonable lifespan for niger seeds? This bag was purchased about 2 years ago from a store that specializes in wild birds.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Charlie, thanks for sharing your observations. Interesting how birds can develop different preferences!

[Charlie Craft]

When I lived near Philadelphia, I would have goldfinches almost exclusively on the niger feeder, and house finches on the sunflower feeder. In winter the Juncos would be around the sunflower feeder. Now I've moved north near Wilkes Barre, and the house finches and goldfinches use both feeders, with both preferring the niger. The Juncos have just arrived this week, and they're also occasionally using the niger feeder.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Esther, thanks for sharing all the different birds you have at your finch feeders!
Jessica, I doubt the basil seed would harm them. Make sure the seed is fresh - that is a very common reason why finches stop coming to the feeders. Also, finches move about widely and they are also very cyclical - busy busy for a time, then nothing! Fill the feeder only halfway until they return.

[Jessica Vigos]

Hi there,

I live in Utah and typically have several yellow and red finches I feed. I have not seen them recently and am wondering what happened to them? I noticed one day they wear eating all the seeds from my basil plants that were starting to seed, could this have harmed them?

I will go by a new sock and see if I can spot any again I am worried about them?

[Esther Zack]

At my Niger seed feeder, in addition to Goldfinches, I've had House finches, Juncos, Mourning doves and Oak titmice.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Carolyn, it is a tough balance for cardinals on the perches of finch feeders. Is there a reason you want to STOP cardinals from eating your niger seed?
Gene, I'm not sure. The lack of vegetation where you see it may be from the thick mat that niger shells can form underneath feeders.

[Eugene howaard]

I wonder if nyger seed hulls can be used as compost. I have noticed nothing grows where I have put it. Gene Medford Or.

[Carolyn]

One would think that Cardinals would have a difficult time balancing on a Finch feeder, but every day Cardinals come to my Finch feeder to eat thistle. Why, and how can I prevent this?

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Lynda, Niger Seed is usually a little more expensive than black oil sunflower because Niger is imported all the way from Africa.
The best way to save money is to first, buy smart!
- Niger Seed from big box stores may be cheaper to begin with, but is more questionable in quality. Older seed will not be eaten, making the savings not worth it!
- Buy Niger Seed from a birdfeeding hobby shop like Wild Birds Unlimited where you know you'll be getting fresher seed.
- Buy in smaller quantities so it doesn't grow stale and dry while you're waiting to put it out.
- Fill feeders only part way if the birds activity has slowed.
Good luck!

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Gena, glad to help! Buy your Niger Seed in smaller quantities, preferably from a birdfeeding hobby shop like Wild Birds Unlimited where the seed is sure to be fresher! If you're not near one, here's how to get it online http://shop.wbu.com/products/productdetail/part_number=200105/567.0?os=354
Jill, though I can't say for sure, I doubt that the variety of Niger Seed used to feed the birds would thrive in Massachusetts. The great majority of Niger Seed is imported from Africa so the climate in Mass may be way too cold!

[Lynda Snyder]

I find Nijer very expensive. Where is the most economical place to find it?

[Jill]

I was wondering if it is possible to purchase the plants that produce nyger seeds (Guizotia abysinica) - so that I can feed the birds, without having to purchase the seeds....
I live in Massachusetts.
Would the plants thrive there??
Thanks for your advice.
Jill

[Gena]

I too purchased the seed and a new feeder from Home Depot with my birthday gift card, I had established several goldfinches with a disposable feeder from Walmart. I didn't know dried seeds could be too dry. I miss my golden beauties. Thanks for the lesson!
Gena

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Randy, what an interesting assortment of birds you have at your finch feeders! The hummingbird was probably just investigating; it is doubtful that it would take the seed. The hummingbirds at the jelly is interesting too; they may have also been interested in the insects jelly would attract.
Thanks for sharing your great observations and happy birdfeeding to you Randy!

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Connie, if you want to reduce the sparrows, make sure the seed you're offering is straight niger seed with nothing else in it. Also, a mesh feeder vs. a feeder with perches might also slow them down.

[Randy McCabe]

I was very surprised to see a Hummingbird at my thistle seed this weekend. I have a feeder for the Orioles with grape jelly nearby, which the Hummingbirds like as well. My Hummingbird feeder is about 50' away. Yes, Chickadees visit as much as the Finches. We are in the Brainerd, Minnesota area.

[Connie]

I have recently put up my first nijer seed feeder. It's a small feeder but I have seen five house sparrows at once clinging to the feeder and eating seed. The sparrows aggressively chase away the goldfinches. A pair of song sparrows are very happy with whatever falls on the ground from the feeder.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Mandolin, the niger seed sold as birdseed is Guizotia abyssinica, which has yellow flowers when it germinates.
Though I cannot speak for ALL Wild Birds Unlimited shops, most get niger seed which is imported from overseas, and thus is heat treated. The heat treatment is to kill noxious weed seeds that may have come in with the niger seed and is not to prevent the seed from germinating.