American Goldfinches vs. Zinnias

[Gandy Dancer]

Live in No. Va, planted lots of zinnias in the garden. They attract
American Goldfinches, which are really nice-looking birds, but they thrive
on tearing the petals off the flowers. Is this just something I have to
live with, or has anyone experienced this problem/come up with a solution?

Thanks.

[Sal Bono & Jane Reel]

It's been my experience that goldfinches tear the petals off flowers to get
to the seeds. They've been doing this to my sunflowers and cosmos for a
number of years now. But that's one reason I planted the flowers. Yeah,
I'd like to enjoy my sunflowers longer during our short growing season
(upstate NY), but I love hearing their call and seeing them work in my
flowers.

So my answer is to live with it? I guess that doesn't help when you've
planted things for a specific effect. I don't have so many goldfinches that
they strip all the cosmos, but then I have a lot of cosmos. The sunflowers
are fewer due to space and within this week I'd say all of the petals will
be gone so the birds can eat the seed.

Jane

Gandy Dancer <Tran...@rr.com> wrote in message
news:7p5e54$np3$1...@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net...

[Steve Rehrauer]

Gandy Dancer wrote:
> Live in No. Va, planted lots of zinnias in the garden. They attract
> American Goldfinches, which are really nice-looking birds, but they thrive
> on tearing the petals off the flowers. Is this just something I have to
> live with, or has anyone experienced this problem/come up with a solution?

Solution: Set up a birdfeeder. Fill it with black oil sunflower seed.
Enjoy the birds and your flowers. --Steve

[Bill Morgan]

In article <NNxt3.1109$O02....@typhoon.nyroc.rr.com>, "Sal Bono & Jane
Reel" <sbo...@nycap.rr.com> wrote:

> It's been my experience that goldfinches tear the petals off flowers to get
> to the seeds. They've been doing this to my sunflowers and cosmos for a
> number of years now. But that's one reason I planted the flowers. Yeah,
> I'd like to enjoy my sunflowers longer during our short growing season
> (upstate NY), but I love hearing their call and seeing them work in my
> flowers.

I also grow sunflowers for the goldfinches as well as the flowers. But the
ones I raise are accidental hybrids between a wild stock I brough back from
the High Plains and a mammoth type which makes seeds for human consumption.
In stature, the largest approach the size of the mammoth, and most are
taller than their wild ancestors. But the nice thing about them is that
most have multiple heads, not just one large one per plant. So as time
rolls on, there are more and more heads blooming, and so there is always
the floral display. And as seeds ripen, the birds go more for those than
for new heads, so the petals on the ray flowers stay on longer. Also, the
heads don't droop, which makes for a nicer display.

There are a number of commercial cultivars with these traits, as well. You
could plant several varieties and have a long-lived show, several colors of
flowers and a riot of birds eating the seeds. Not a bad thing at all.

Regards,
Bill

--
Center for Room Temperature Confusion

[Gandy Dancer]

Thanks for your insight. I raise sunflowers also, and the goldfinches
definitely prefer the zinnias. Good thing about that is the zinnias
continue to replenish themselves, but the variety of sunflowers I planted
are a one-bloom kind. So I guess I'll just look on the bright side and keep
deadheading those zinnias!

Thanks again,

Gandy

[Gandy Dancer]

Thanks for the reply. I also have cosmos that are just starting to put out
pretty purple flowers (they're planted in partial shade, so slow to get
going), so I have that to look forward to also! Actually, it's not a major
problem, because both the zinnias and cosmos keep blooming - and I do like
the goldfinches.

I'll live with it!

Gandy

[Gandy Dancer]

Thanks for the advice. I tried that last year, but wound up attracting
starlings in droves. Made a total mess with seeds/bird droppings, so I took
the feeder down the day after I'd put it up. But the problem isn't major,
because I do enjoy both the birds and the flowers - and the zinnias keep on
blooming.

Thanks again,

Gandy

[Gandy Dancer]

Good advice; thanks! It would be great to attract woodpeckers; seldom
see'em here.

Gandy

[martha]

I plant zinnias for the goldfinches. Don't understand what your problem is.
Enjoy them.....that's the solution.

Gandy Dancer <Tran...@rr.com> wrote in message
news:7p5e54$np3$1...@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net...

> Live in No. Va, planted lots of zinnias in the garden. They attract
> American Goldfinches, which are really nice-looking birds, but they thrive
> on tearing the petals off the flowers. Is this just something I have to
> live with, or has anyone experienced this problem/come up with a solution?
>

> Thanks.
>
>

[Rev Chuck]

I specifically plant for the goldfinches, and I plant heavily. I save
seeds from the best-looking specimens. A couple of seed heads are
all it takes to plant a field. The birds are welcome to take as they
please.

Good variety is the Mexican multiheaded hybrid Autumn Beauty. Seeds
are smaller oil-type, similar to commercial, higher calorie black oil
seeds. Goldfinches -- and cardinals -- go nuts over the flowers.

Zinnias? I was surprised that something I planted just to fill in
empty space became a magnet for every butterfly and goldfinch within a
one-mile radius. And the finches do tear out the petals to get to
the seeds.

Do I care? Seeds are cheap, Miracle-Gro makes them grow like wildfire.
Again, let the birds take their fill. I'll plant several times over next
year. I'll probably also add a patch of thistle to satisfy their preferred
taste.

--
Nothing says you're insane like prayer.
Rev Chuck, Alt.Atheism #203, Ordained Reverend, ULC, 17 March, 1997.
Remove -REMOVE_THIS- from address to respond.

[SSherr1033]

Gandy,

You might consider a finch feeder. It has very tiny holes and very tiny
perches. The starlings can't get to the food. I've got thistle seed in mine
and have finches and downey woodpeckers that love it.

Sherr

[Ann]

ssher...@aol.com (SSherr1033) expounded:

>You might consider a finch feeder. It has very tiny holes and very tiny
>perches. The starlings can't get to the food. I've got thistle seed in mine
>and have finches and downey woodpeckers that love it.

I have three thistle socks I feed my goldfinches with. Mesh bags that
they cling to, the holes are all over. Sometimes there are twenty of
them out there at once! I haven't ever had a downey on them, though.
They're too busy at the suet feeders.

--
Ann, Gardening in Zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
Fix the from: 9 is the spam trap!
********************************
If I keep a green bough in my heart, the singing bird will come.
~Chinese Proverb

[Harrisons]

I learn something new here every day. Last year I saw exactly one--count
'em, one--butterfly in my garden and the nice Mass. Audobon man said I was
lucky to see that one because the habitat near Boston inside the ring of
128--Interstate 95--is disappearing so fast. This year so far I have seen
six, which is a big increase. I too love to watch the goldfinches eat
sunflower seeds fronm the sunflowers which sprouted from seed that was
guaranteed not to germinate. And all of you have just explained to me why I
am going to plant lots and lots and lots of zinnias next year--just in case
the butterflies increase. I really appreciate learning about this. Eugenia,
zone 6
martha <dogp...@iwarp.net> wrote in message
news:S8Mt3.2908$x04.1...@typ11.nn.bcandid.com...

[diana cascioli]

Gandy Dancer wrote:
>
> Live in No. Va, planted lots of zinnias in the garden. They attract
> American Goldfinches, which are really nice-looking birds, but they thrive
> on tearing the petals off the flowers. Is this just something I have to
> live with, or has anyone experienced this problem/come up with a solution?

I have a feeder full of thistle seeds which they seem to enjoy alot.
Haven't seen them go after any flowers (or what's left of them after all
this drought).

--
raven- is diana cascioli | Hail to the speaker,
GW Graphic Design | Hail to the knower,
bmeworld.com/raven2 | Joy to him who has understood,
gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/~raven | Delight to those who have listened. -Havamal

[Karen Thompson]

And if you only want the goldfinches, not those greedy house finches
and purple finches (they become like starlings), use the kind of
feeder that has the perch above the feeding hole. The finch has to
hang upside down to feed, which goldfinches will do; the others
cannot.
Karen

On 16 Aug 1999 02:34:20 GMT, ssher...@aol.com (SSherr1033) wrote:

>Gandy,

>
>You might consider a finch feeder. It has very tiny holes and very tiny
>perches. The starlings can't get to the food. I've got thistle seed in mine
>and have finches and downey woodpeckers that love it.
>

>Sherr

[Steve Rehrauer]

SSherr1033 wrote:
> You might consider a finch feeder. It has very tiny holes and very tiny
> perches. The starlings can't get to the food. I've got thistle seed in mine
> and have finches and downey woodpeckers that love it.

I use a tube feeder that's enclosed in a wire cage. Small birds like
finches can pass through and feed on sunflower seed, but larger birds
and platform-feeders are relagated to clean-up duty beneath. --Steve