Nyjer Seed Or Niger Thistle?

The favored finch seed Niger is native to the highlands of Ethiopia and is very in demand in Niger bird feeders. Niger is in the composite (sunflower) family and is quite strongly related to the popular garden plants Cosmos (genus Coreopsis). It has yellow Cosmos-like flowers and develops up to 6 ft. high. The seeds have up to forty percent oil and in Ethiopia, India and Myanmar (Burma) it is a vital oilseed yield. Ethiopian immigrants possibly paved the way the seed to India around 3k B.C. along with other important food plants like millet. Niger supplies half of the plant oil used in Ethiopia and 3% in India. It's also heated and made into a gum and eaten without delay. The meal left after oil extraction is employed as a livestock food. It's a helpful crop in the tropics because it is relatively pest free and can be made in clay and waterlogged soils.

In Northern America and Europe it is used basically as a bird food source. It is most regularly called Niger Thistle maybe due to the thin seeds or its desirability to Goldfinches and Siskins who also like thistles. However efforts have been manufactured by the bird seed industry to modify the name to Nyjer Seed to distance it from a thistle, which it isn't, and emphasize the right pronunciation. Notwithstanding the term still isn't commonly utilized. It is one of the dearer seeds for yard bird feeding thanks to the transport price from tropical growing locations and as it is heat sterilised to kill weeds like Dodder that is present in many Niger seed crops. The heat sterilization also stops the germination of the Niger seeds but it is unlikely grow and reproduce in temperate regions anyway.

The plant is comparable to the well-liked birdseed ( and plant oil source ), black oil sunflower. The high oil content of Niger makes it an energy packed food that's highly desirable for any bird adapted to eating tiny seeds. In Northern America the members of the Carduelis genus- the Redpolls, Pine Siskins, and Goldfinches, fit this bill so to speak. House Finches, Purple Finches and Juncos will also eat it but for the majority the Carduelis finches will be the sole repeat visitors to a Niger feeder. It is the most fascinating seed available for these finches. It is common to see crowds of Goldfinches and Siskins covering every available inch of a Niger Thistle Feeder.

Flocks of Pine Siskins are found in open conifer forests, interestingly enough not so much in amongst pines. Siskins, like the Redpolls and other cold weather birds have the facility to store large quantities of food in their esophagus, which they can slowly digest over a cold winter night.

When selecting a Niger thistle feeder, as with any bird feeder, look for simplicity of filling, and cleaning first. Niger seed will be eaten from most varieties of feeders but since it is an expensive seed it's best offered in a new feeder in which birds cannot easily kick it out of.
Niger Thistle Sacks are a few of the most well liked feeders because they're inexpensive and can feed a lot of birds at the same time. When selecting a sack it's important to have a weave that's not too loose or too tight. The very inexpensive sacks have a particularly loose weave, which allows seed to spill out with each movement of the feeder so these will spill more seed in the first week than you will ever have saved in the initial investment. However birds wish to expend the smallest amount of energy possible to get food so that the birds like a looser weave. Birds will use tighter woven sacks if these are the sole choice. Middle ground in the weave looseness are the Thistle Socks from Songbird essentials. Some of the best-made socks are from Wildlife accessories like their'Classic' thistle sack which is on the tight weave side of the range. The nylon is thicker on these sacks and they last a lot longer then other brands. However we endorse washing the'classic' sack at least once to loosen the weave up a bit as it could be a bit tight. The problem with thistle sacks is there limited life span and their exposure to the elements.

Lately there have been a lot of great chrome steel mesh feeders introduced from makers such as Birds Choice and Aspects. Aspects' model is nearly indestructible and features a plastic edge on the top of the mesh, which keeps the shape of the mesh and makes it really easy to open and fill. The Havegard Steel Pagoda Thistle Bird Feeder is glorious, its roof offers some protection from the elements and its giant capacity is nice if you have lots of birds and cannot fill your feeders quick enough. At first it's best to begin with a little quantity of seed in any feeder until the birds find it and start eating it regularly so you do not spoil plenty of seed if it sits in the rain. If birds aren't finding the feeder try moving it into another part of the yard either near other feeders or by a natural food source. As with other birds eating a primarily seed diet, water is necessary for complete digestion so offering accessible water greatly increases the desirability of your feeding station.

A useful accessory for Niger feeders is some kind of weather protection. Erva manufacturing makes a rainproof and nearly indestructible metal rain guard and Aspects makes the enticing Weather Dome both are really attractive and functional, or you can make your own out of painted wood or try a plastic plate. Aspects Large Niger Mesh Bird Feeder is a very popular model.