The colourful little birds are becoming a more common sight in gardens across the UK
The colder months might mean householders spending less time in their gardens, but it can also see some joyful and colourful visitors there instead. Robins start to appear in the colder months but there’s another little feathered visitor you may spot too.
Goldfinches are immediately recognisable with their red faces, gold wing flashes and chattering. They are becoming a more common sight in UK gardens as they search for food sources in winter.
It used to be, bird watchers would have to travel into the countryside to catch a glimpse of the birds. But a decline in natural food sources and climate change means they’ve had to alter their habits.
If you would like to see goldfinches in your garden, there is one thing you should do, say experts.
Planting one flower will attract them and hopefully keep them returning too as they love to feast on the seeds of this plant.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust says that teasel is one of the goldfinch’s favourite food sources during autumn and winter.
The charity said: “The seed heads dry out in winter, providing food for the goldfinch. Their thin beaks are ideally suited for tweezing the tiny seeds from between the spikes.”
Planting the teasel also supports garden wildlife all year round. Its purple flowers attract insects in summer, and its dried seed heads feed birds through winter.
The structure of the plant even collects rainwater, giving birds and bugs a tiny reservoir during dry days.
If you want to attract goldfinch immediately the Scottish Wildlife Trust recommends adding a nyjer feeder to your garden.
“Nyjer is a tiny seed which goldfinches love,” the charity said. “You’ll need a special feeder with small holes so the seeds don’t blow away.”
Experts at Gardeners’ World say teasel is a “strikingly architectural” wildflower that can grow up to two metres tall by its second year.
They said: “The flowers are a magnet for bees, butterflies, and other insects, then masses of tiny seeds are beloved by seed-eating birds, especially goldfinches.”
Teasel grows well in sun or partial shade and thrives in a variety of soils, including heavy or damp ground. You can sow seeds in spring or autumn directly into your garden or start them in pots before planting out.
The experts added: “Plant them 45-60cm apart and water them until established.Teasel needs little care, but keep in mind it self-seeds freely, so be prepared to thin out young plants if needed.”
At the end of the season, they can be pulled up and composted or used in wildlife-friendly brash piles.
Goldfinches are known to form large groups after the breeding season, sometimes numbering into the thousands.
Their collective name is a “charm”, and with the right plants and feeders in place, your garden could be lucky enough to host one.
