Nyjer seeds are sometimes called thistle seeds, but they are not the same thing and do not come from the Thistle plant. Nyjer seeds are harvested from the Guizotia flower of the Niger
Niger
Niger or the Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa named after the Niger River. Niger is bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin to the southwest, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwes…
Does niger seed Go Bad?
Niger seed can indeed go bad, especially if it has been exposed to moisture. That said, it also takes birds a bit of time to learn to appreciate niger seed, although the finch species were never slow to pick up the niger in my experience. Maybe just buy a small amount of fresh niger seed and use that in your feeders.
Will Cardinals eat nyjer seed?
Natural fruits that attract these birds include blueberry bushes, mulberry trees, and other dark-colored berries. Bird seeds that have been known to attract Cardinals include black oil sunflower, cracked corn, suet, Nyjer® seed, mealworms, peanuts, safflower, striped sunflower, and sunflower hearts and chips.
How to fill nyjer seed tubes for the best results?
- Strong build
- Lifetime Warranty
- Empties the feeder for the finches
- Drainage hole at the base
- Easy to clean with an included long cleaning brush
- Made in the USA
What does Nyger seed grow into?
Nyjer seed is a tiny, fine seed which is black in colour. It usually sprouts into a yellow-y flower, the scientific name being Guizotia abyssinica. It is often mistaken for a thistle, which is not the case.
What is the difference between thistle and Nyjer?
Nyjer seed is NOT thistle. The seed is not derived from any native or non-native thistle plant, but instead, Nyjer seed is actually derived from a plant in the same plant tribe as sunflowers. The seed resembles a sunflower seed but is significantly smaller.
Do finches prefer thistle or nyjer seed?
Picking the correct bird feeder and birdseed can determine whether you'll be seeing finches or not. Finches like to eat nyjer thistle seed.
Does nyjer seed grow thistles?
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.
Why are birds not eating nyjer seed?
Nancy Castillo, co-owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Saratoga Springs, New York, and author of the blog Zen Birdfeeder, points out that Nyjer contains natural high-calorie oils that attract finches. When the oils dry out, the seed loses both its food value and its flavor, and birds shun it.
Why is nyjer seed called thistle?
It was originally called Niger but frequently got mispronounced as a racial slur. So many retailers referred to it as thistle. Since some got confused that it might be seeds of the noxious weed thistle, some cities tried to ban its sale.
Can I put thistle seed in a regular bird feeder?
Nyjer seed (also referred to as Nyger or thistle), is a small, black seed high in oil content, making it an excellent source of energy for the birds who eat it. Many birders choose to offer Nyjer in their bird feeders throughout the winter months since many non-migratory birds feed on the nutritious seed.
Do finches eat thistle seed?
Although it can be expensive, Nyjer (aka thistle) seed is eagerly consumed by all the small finches—goldfinches, house, purple, and Cassin's finches, pine siskins, and redpolls. You need to offer this tiny seed in a specialized feeder of some kind.
Why won't goldfinches come to my feeder?
Finches Need Clean Feeders Finches don't like dirty feeders and will avoid a feeder if it's moldy or otherwise unclean. When it rains, seed can also become clumpy, and the birds won't be able to pull seeds out of the feeder. Adding a weather guard to your feeder can prevent the seeds from getting wet and clumping.
Is Nyjer thistle invasive?
Nyjer is not an invasive species.
Why are my finches not eating thistle?
Hi LJ, It could be that the seed is old (being held in a warehouse too long) or it could be they would prefer sunflower chips. Mine do not seem too interested in thistle either. Maybe just the time of year, there's plenty of natural food around at the moment.
Do squirrels like thistle seed?
As a general rule, squirrels do not eat thistle seeds. The seeds are too small for them to eat and the mesh on the bird feeders that hold the seed are too tight for the squirrels to grab from. Thistle, along with millet, canary, safflower, and canola seeds are the recommended feed to keep squirrels away.
Do birds like thistle seed?
Nyjer seed—also commonly known as niger or thistle seed—is popular with many backyard bird species, particularly seed-eating birds and winter finches.
What are some other names for thistle?
Other Names: Niger, Nyger, Noog/Nug, Ramtil/Ramtilla, Inga Seed and Blackseed, This tle (not related to the American Thistle weed)
What seed ports do tube bird feeders have?
There are several tube bird feeders that have ports that can be changed from mixed seed to nyjer or thistle seed ports. There are some nyjer and thistle seed bird feeders that have "upside down" ports.
Can finches eat thistle seed?
This is particularly advantageous to feeding finches since they are one of the few birds that have the ability to feed upside down. Upside down feeders allow the finch to alight on the port's perch then turn upside down and eat the nyjer or thistle seed from the port hole below the perch.
What is Nyjer seed?
Nyjer Seed (aka niger seed or thistle seed) is a teeny-tiny, high-oil content seed (~40%) mostly favored by finches and siskins. In order to eliminate waste, there are special thistle feeders with very tiny holes as feeding ports. Nyjer bird seed is an oilseed crop from the yellow flowering plant, Guizotia abyssinica (pictured), ...
Where is Nyjer bird seed grown?
Nyjer bird seed is an oilseed crop from the yellow flowering plant, Guizotia abyssinica (pictured), that is cultivated in Ethiopia, India, Myanmar and Nepal.
Why is Nyjer a trademark?
This is an entirely different plant and is heat treated as an import condition so that it can't sprout. "Nyjer" is is a trademark of the Wild Bird Feeding Institute. A name change to eliminate product confusion and the offensive mispronunciation of the word niger.
Nyger, niger or thistle bird seed-all the same
I’ve been investigating to see if we can plant Nyjer bird seed from the package seed we buy for birds. Nyger, niger or thistle bird seed are all names for the same bird seed from Africa. The official name, nyjer, was picked in 1988 so as not to offend anyone with the name niger or to confuse anyone about it possibly being a thistle seed.
GIANTVEGGIEGARDENER INSTAGRAM
Bumper crop of apricots here in Santa Fe last summer. Lots of jam this year!
