Willow Tit And Nyger Seed

[shenk1]

For the past week or so one (or both) of our Willow Tits has taken to regularly feeding on nyger seed.It doesn't just look in, it definitely has a couple of beak fulls.

Having never seen any of the tits eating nyger I was just wondering if there was a reason for this other than being a bit peckish and fancying something different

While typing this it has been 3 times and I don't type that slow

Cheers, shenk1

[Cowgirl]

Don't really know shenk, but I have occasionally seen sparrows eating my nyger seed as well.

[Dogghound]

They often feed on birch and alder seeds through winter so its not surprising they are feeding on seeds. They like to cache food which may explain why they seem to be backwards and forwards all the time.

[solus]

I have seen a Great Tit make an occasional visit to my nyger feeder as well as a House Sparrow. And a Collared Dove sits precariously on the tray attached to the bottom of the feeder to scoff some of the spillage!

[shenk1]

Thanks for the replys

I have seen plenty of birds have a look at the nyger but most just carry on looking for the bigger stuff.

This ones obviously got a taste for it

Cheer,shenk1

[thunder]

Here is a Marsh Tit enjoying the Niger in my garden.



Taken in 2009.

Sorry for poor quality image - taken through a caravan window.

henrya

[RKB]

Willow (and Marsh) Tits love nyger seed, as it's full of oil. They also love sunflower seed for the same reason. They cache food in autumn and winter, but are generally less interested now. But sounds like yours is caching. They have a pouch in their throat that can hold several seeds, so they can take 3-4 sunflower seeds at once, and more nyger.

[witham]

I've seen a couple of collared doves at once feeding by perching on the tray of one of our niger seed feeders and an assortment of birds gleaning underneath the smaller one that doesn't have a catch tray in fact the gold finches seem to prefer the sunflower hearts at the moment so it's usual to see others including great tits on the niger

[afterforty]

I've been observing Willow tits at my feeders for over 5 years, I have never once seen one even perch on the nyjer feeders!
I'd love to see it.

However several of the Coal tits that visit eat the seed.

[afterforty]

Evidence: )

Coal tit on nyjer feeder.



Willow tit showing just how many sunflower kernels he can grab.