Goldfinches are easy to attract to a garden in late summer if you grow sunflowers, a very common flower that provides their favorite food. The birds are currently in breeding season, making frequent trips from nests to find food for their chicks.
Why sunflowers attract goldfinches
Adult goldfinches mostly eat seeds, but they are now feeding insects to their young, which need extra protein. However, recent dry conditions across the UK have caused wildflowers to wither and insects to burrow deeper into the soil, reducing foraging opportunities.
Lori Vanover from Birds & Blooms said: "Sunflowers are one of the best plants for attracting goldfinches, because sunflower seeds are one of their favourite foods! Leaving spent flower heads in place is a wonderful thing to do for wildlife."
Sunflowers are large, making it easy for goldfinches to grip the flower and extract seeds. The seeds are nutritious and calorie-dense, providing the energy goldfinches need during warm weather. Leaving sunflowers to wilt naturally is an effective way to offer a natural food supply in late summer.
Other plants goldfinches love
Goldfinches also favor dandelions and milkweeds. While they typically do not eat these plants, they serve as nest-building material, so the birds may build a nest nearby if weeds are allowed to grow.
Thistles are another attraction, as goldfinches eat the seeds and use the plant for nesting from late summer to early autumn. Purple coneflowers are also a favorite seed source and are available at garden centers.
It is common for goldfinches to visit gardens throughout summer, so planting these flowers now can ensure daily visits from these colorful birds.
