Food for bullfinches

[FUDGEY]

The last two mornings I have heard a pair in a dense plantation at the back of my house. I would like to encourage them to a feeding station so I can get some pics. Any ideas what food they prefer? Sunflower seeds?

[Cheryl]

I often hear them around too, so frustrating - I hardly ever see them in my garden.

I've read that they will take black sunflower seeds - they normally feed on seeds of trees such as ash, and also other plants like brambles, nettles and dock - failing that, fruit trees

[Gill Catton]

They love honeysuckle berries and fruit trees so if you have room for these in the garden it may draw them in..

[RobinP]

They also love sunflower hearts.

[Jenny W]

Being larger billed birds I would imagine they will take the larger seeds such as black sunflowers, hemp, rape seed over the smaller seeds. Although I have no experience of studying Bullfinch feeding habits, it would fit in with the patterns of granivorous species I have studied.

[Elizabeth B]

Bullfinches have a choice of sunflower hearts or black sunflower seed here (there are two feeders of each) - but they always go for the hearts.

[ChrisJB]

Sunflower hearts always work for me.

Regards, Chris

[FUDGEY]

THanks to everyone for the feedback. Just one more question, will they readily use a bird table or do they prefer them scattered on the ground? There are no cats about incase anyones concerned.

[shenk1]

Sunflower hearts go down a treat here with up to 10 at a time! They will use either the ground table or ordinary seed feeders. Beautiful birds and a joy to see.

[RobinP]

Mine nearly always go to the hanging feeders that have a little tray with perches at the bottom and sit there for some time noshing away, though very occasionally they feed on the ground, not a good idea with cats around