How to Care for and Feed Wild Finches
Finches are common birds in North America, inhabiting nearly every region of the continental United States, southern Canada and Mexico. These sparrow-sized birds are social and will cluster around bird feeders in large groups. Wild finches don't need your help finding food or caring for their young, but that shouldn't stop you, as long you provide healthy food and a safe place for them to feed. Finches will sometimes use birdhouses that you provide if they are the right size.
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Instructions
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Instructions
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1
Select and purchase an appropriate bird feed for finches. Finches aren't picky eaters but they do have certain preferences. Choose a bird feed that contains lots of Niger seeds, safflower seeds, oil-type sunflower seeds, and hulled sunflower seeds. Bird feeds are available at many supermarkets, garden supply stores, livestock feed stores, and through online catalogs.
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Select some fruits to feed your finches as well. Grapes, bananas, apples, and watermelons are all great choices. Fruits provide both a tasty treat and valuable nutrients for finches. Hang fruits from nearby tree branches just a few inches below the branch so the birds can perch and feed at the same time.
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Set up your tube feeder in a safe place in your yard. Tube feeders are ideal for finches because they have little perches and larger birds tend to avoid them. They also encourage multiple birds to feed at once. Find a place where there are plenty of trees and shrubs nearby so the finches don't feel exposed. Hang your tube feeder at approximately eye level. Ideally there should be a clean water source nearby so the birds can have a drink between feedings.
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Set up a birdhouse for your finches to nest in. According to Birdsforever.com, the ideal specifications for a finch birdhouse are as follows: 6-by-6 inch floor size, 6 inch box height, 4 inch entrance above floor, and a 2 inch entrance hole. Hang the birdhouse 8 to 12 feet above the ground.
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Quietly observe your finches from a safe distance. The best times to catch finches feeding and socializing are early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
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Tips & Warnings
Replace birdseed often even if some seed remains in the feeder. Wild birds tend to avoid eating seed that is damp and not fresh.
Leave baby finch chicks alone. They are vulnerable and their mothers know exactly how to take care of them without your assistance.
