We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.
4215 NW 16th Boulevard
Gainesville, FL 32605
Phone: (352) 381-1997
Fax: (352) 381-1995
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Sat: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
One of the great misconceptions about birdfeeding in Florida is that the American Goldfinch doesn't migrate into the region until late winter. In fact, goldfinches began to arrive in Florida as early as October and numbers have been building consistently ever since. Many of you have been reporting at least a few goldfinches at your feeders for a month or more now and many others have been hearing and seeing them in the canopy above your yard even though they have yet to come down to your feeders.
In all likelihood, that will happen soon and in a big way. We don't know exactly why goldfinches don't come to feeders in big numbers until much later in the season but we have strong indications that it is mostly due to two factors. One, goldfinches seem to prefer natural sources of seed and so are more commonly found in areas such as Paynes Prairie or in the diverse hardwood floodplains of rivers. Two, goldfinches tolerate cold very well and linger north of us until temperatures become particularly severe.
So, as winter rolls on into Florida so do the goldfinches and as natural seed sources become more scarce goldfinches become more interested in your feeders. If you put out seed in hopes of attracting goldfinches early in the season, you need to replenish it with fresh seed now. Certainly, you don't stand a very good chance of getting finch activity if your seed has become stale or rancid.
Another great mystery in goldfinch feeding occurs about a month after they finally form persistent feeder flocks. Goldfinches depart from feeders for about two weeks in February. Again, we don't know why this happens but those of us who erroneously believe that it's because they migrated back to their breeding grounds will sorely regret taking the feeders down. When goldfinches return to feeders from this short hiatus, they have begun their molt and gradually turn from drab to calico to brilliant yellow as the feeder flocks grow and feeding activity intensifies even further.
So, don't let your feeders sit idly with stale or rancid seed any longer. Now is the time to freshen the feeders up and give goldfinches another shot. Be prepared for the February pause. They come back with a vengeance.
Watch your American Goldfinch flocks for Pine Siskin. We don't have siskins in Florida every winter but this year large numbers of siskins have pushed well south of their normal winter territory. This winter in Florida, they have occurred well south of Gainesville and have been reported from feeders a few times. Birders have been regularly reporting a Pine Siskin around the LaChua sink in Paynes Prairie since early December.
If you don't look over your goldfinch flock with some care, then it would be easy to miss a Pine Siskin. They are almost exactly the same size and proportions as an American Goldfinch and are nearly the same colors. The most easily recognized differences are as follows:
If you believe that you have seen a Pine Siskin, please try to take a photograph or make good notes about your observation. Then, call the store or just drop in so that we can have a look. You observations are important. The information that you relate to us is often passed on to the next level of ornithological data management. Over time, those data affect what we know about the status and distribution of birds.
Nyjer (thistle) attracts finches of all kinds. Its high oil content is an excellent energy source for active birds and is best used in our specially designed finch feeders. It is important to keep the food fresh for our picky little eaters. Nyjer has a thin shell and is vulnerable to spoilage while in the tube. Once seed starts to dry out and become stale, finches will turn up their beak for fresher forage. Replace Nyjer seed in feeders every three to four weeks if it is not being actively eaten. Store your Nyjer in an airtight container for a longer shelf life, and buy in quantities that will be used up in a few weeks.
We have been working on getting BIRDTracks out via e-mail for awhile now. We finally got a format we are happy with and we hope you are too. We are also sending out montly e-mails that have additional articles, news from feeders, and information about any specials that we might be running at the store. If you would like to get either of these e-mails let us know. The nice thing about our e-mail program is that you can pick and chose what you would like to receive. You can visit us at the store to update your account with your e-mail, or simply click on the link in the left hand navigation bar on this webpage.
