Diet
What do goldfinches eat?
One of the strictest vegetarians among songbirds — almost entirely seeds.
Spring and summer diet
- Thistle, sunflower, coneflower and aster seeds
- Tree buds and maple sap in spring
Fall and winter diet
- Birch and alder seeds
- Nyjer and hulled sunflower at feeders
Best feeder foods
- Nyjer (thistle)
- Hulled sunflower chips
- Black-oil sunflower
Goldfinches travel in flocks and can empty a finch feeder quickly. Keep nyjer fresh — they abandon stale, moldy seed.
Where goldfinches need winter food
Regions where goldfinches are present in the cold months:
AlabamaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsin
Frequently asked
What do goldfinches eat?
One of the strictest vegetarians among songbirds — almost entirely seeds.
What is the best food to feed goldfinches?
Nyjer (thistle), Hulled sunflower chips, Black-oil sunflower.
What do goldfinches eat in winter?
Birch and alder seeds; Nyjer and hulled sunflower at feeders.
Sources
- American Goldfinch — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- American Goldfinch life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- American Goldfinch — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.