Every bird lover knows that if you want to attract Goldfinches, feed them Nyjer Thistle! But few know the details about this finch treat. Some people are nervous when they hear the word “thistle,” thinking that they will soon have thistle plants growing all over their yard. But in fact, Nyjer, Niger, and Thistle are all names used to identify a tiny, black birdseed cultivated in Asia and Africa that is high in calories and oil content. This feed has been used by wild bird watchers for more than 40 years. To eliminate any possibility of offensively mispronouncing the word “niger” – the Wild Bird Feeding Industry trademarked the name Nyjer in 1998. How this seed ever became confused with thistle seed in the first place is somewhat of a mystery, although it is probably due to the fact that some birds – goldfinches in particular – eat the seeds of thistle plants and use the downy fluff for their nests. If given a choice, birds will pick Nyjer over thistle due to the fact it is a superior seed higher in both calories and oil content. To eliminate confusion with our customers we have combined the original with the new name: Nyjer Thistle. To protect our environment from any invasive weed seeds that may enter the country with the imported Nyjer oilseed, all shipments are heat sterilized to prevent germination of these weeds.
So bring those Goldfinches to your yard this month by offering Nyjer Thistle!
