How to attract bullfinches?

[babystar]

Hello again!

I would love to see some bullfinches in my garden, appreciate they aren't as common as they used to be but wondered if there was any particular food I could put out to try and attract some?


Thank you!

[htcdude]

Taken from Garden Birds website:

"Bullfinches usually feed on insects, berries, seeds (e.g. dock, nettle, bramble, ash, birch, honesty), and buds - its liking for the latter has made enemies of some gardeners and fruit growers.

When they visit the garden they usually take seed from a hanging seed feeder or suet cake"

Nige

[King Edward]

Originally Posted by babystar

I would love to see some bullfinches in my garden, appreciate they aren't as common as they used to be but wondered if there was any particular food I could put out to try and attract some?

I don't know about attracting them, but to see them in the garden it's very helpful to get familiar with their call. They can be quite elusive otherwise, but the call is distinctive.

[shenk1]

Sunflower Hearts works for mine

Call sounds like a squeaky wheelbarrow being pushed too slowly

shenk1

[Elizabeth B]

Originally Posted by shenk1

Sunflower Hearts works for mine
shenk1

Same here.

[RobinP]

Sunflower Hearts do it for me too, the feeders need a good perching area.



Robin

[~T~]

Mine seemed to ignore the sunflower heart feeder and just fed from the cheap mixed stuff I put out for the woodies and collared doves.

[Dogghound]

It really depends on your local population and surrounding habitat. Is the population large? is surrounding habitat better? is your garden suitable? Its often very complex and not something you can easily achieve in the limited space of a garden. Sunflower seed and hemp would be a good start for feeders. Actually planting cherry trees (which bare lots of fruit) in your garden if you have space would be even better, although they tend not to breed in these, but will home in on the fruit. I doubt you would be able to create suitable breeding habitat in an average garden though. They are often very shy so the less disturbance in the garden the better.

[Foz]

Mixed seed feeders and cherry and plum trees work for me.
In winter they like to feed on the ground I have found, and often see them under the feeders.