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What Do Goldfinches Eat? (And Ways To Attract Them)

By Riley, last updated March 29, 2023 Leave a Comment

What Do Goldfinches Eat?There are dozens of adjectives to describe the American goldfinch and his British counterpart.

Lively. Cheerful. Perky. Energetic. Animated. Athletic. Bouncy. Take your pick or add more. The goldfinch is wonderful to watch, either in the wild or as a back yard resident.

The goldfinch was originally described in 1758 as a small bird from four to six inches long with a 7.5 to 8.7 inch wingspan.

The beak is small, cone-shaped and a pinkish color. The design of the beak makes it perfect for extracting seeds from flower heads, such as sunflowers.

The American goldfinches are songbirds that go through two molts per year, which is very unusual. The pink beak mentioned above turns bright orange during the molting.

Goldfinches are rather drab in the winter, a dull green/brown with little to no colorful ornamentation.  That shifts dramatically in the spring, however, when the male must begin concentrating on attracting a lady. The “men” turn into quick-change artists, donning bright yellow feathers, black and white wings and a black cap. That, combined with its melodious song, is definitely enough to turn the girls’ heads. [Read more…]

Best Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder (Keep Those Rascals Out!)

By Riley, last updated July 30, 2018 Leave a Comment

Best Squirrel Proof Bird FeederA backyard bird feeder can bring you a great deal of joy and entertainment. It can also cause frustration when you see squirrels helping themselves to your feathered friends’ food. Squirrels can also damage feeders and scare off the birds.

The best squirrel proof bird feeder attracts the types of birds that you want in your yard, looks attractive in your landscape and prevents other critters from helping themselves to a hearty meal.

Learn more about what to look for in a squirrel proof bird feeder so that you’re not wasting bird food on four-legged wildlife. We’ve also reviewed the best squirrel proof bird feeders so that you can select the right one for you. [Read more…]

Best Hummingbird Feeder (Which is Clean? Easy? Works Best?)

By Riley, last updated July 30, 2018 Leave a Comment

Best Hummingbird FeederWho doesn’t love birds congregating in their yard? Hummingbirds are quite majestic to behold. These quick, agile birds are a member of the Trochilidae family and are the smallest bird species known to man.

On average, they measure only three to five inches, and weigh about two-and-a-half grams. Hummingbirds are marked by their colorful appearance, with varieties appearing in bright blues, greens, and the like. Most notable, though, is the Hummingbird’s great speed. They fan fly at more than thirty-four miles an hour and flap their wings more than fifty times a second. As such, they have a high metabolism, the greatest of any homeothermic animal.

They’re beautiful birds, and to give them a boost (plus attract them to your yard), you’ll need a quality hummingbird feeder to supply them with nutrients when they decide to hang around your property.

So what is the best hummingbird feeder? [Read more…]

What Do Baby Ducks Eat? (How To Feed These Cuties)

By Riley, last updated March 29, 2023 1 Comment

Baby Ducks EatingDucks. The name is a general term used to refer to a group of species in the Anatidae family of waterfowl. As you might already know, this family also includes swan and geese, but ducks are unique in some of their characteristics, hence the distinction.

One should not confuse ducks for similar fowl, like loons or coots, although they are all primarily aquatic birds that will normally congregate in salt and freshwater areas.

Ducks are smaller than geese and swan, and while their necks are long, they are nowhere near the immense length of a swan neck. As they are similar to these other water bird varieties, one might also assume that they share some dietary characteristics.

Is this the case, however? Let’s look at where the duck, specifically youngling ducks, turn to for nutrition. In short: what do baby ducks eat? [Read more…]

What Do Butterflies Eat? (And How To Attract Them)

By Riley, last updated March 29, 2023 Leave a Comment

Butterfly On FlowerButterflies, members of the superfamily of species known as “Papilonoidea,” are small, flying insects. An old group of insects, there are butterfly fossils that date back to the Paleocene period, some 56 million years ago.

The typical moth goes through a four-stage life cycle, part of which is the much-romanticized metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. They are like moths and are known for their large variation of colors and patterns. Some butterflies even make use of camouflage and mimicry of their surroundings to conceal themselves from predators.

They sometimes fall victim to a range of small animals that consider them a food source, but what do butterflies eat? Let’s explore the interesting diet of these majestic creatures. [Read more…]

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