Finches are a welcome sight at the backyard birdfeeder. Their vibrant colors make them one of the showiest birds commonly found across the United States. You can attract these feathered gems to your yard by supplying preferred foods, custom housing, and bird-friendly landscaping.
To build a finch house you will need 3/4-inch thick cedar, cypress, fir, redwood, or birch. Do not use treated wood of any type. Treated wood contains chemicals that are known to emit fumes that are unsafe for birds. You will also need a jigsaw, waterproof adhesive, a hammer, a screwdriver, 1-5/8 inch weatherproof screws, galvanized finishing nails, a combination square, and a pencil.
The floor of your finch house should measure 6 inches by 6 inches. The height from the floor to the ceiling should be approximately 6 inches at the highest point. Finches prefer an abode that is not enclosed, so design your birdhouse leaving three sides open. With these dimensions in mind, construct the parts for your finch house. Put them together using weatherproof screws, and reinforce seams using waterproof adhesive.
Cypress and cedar birdhouses do not have to be painted or stained, but houses constructed from other types of wood should be protected. Stain is more durable than paint because it will not peel. Only cover the outside of the house so the birds are not exposed to paint chips or chemicals. Use inconspicuous colors to help conceal the house from predators. Lighter colors will also reflect heat, therefore making the house more comfortable for nesting.
Don’t place finch feeders or other bird feeders in or near bushes. Predators such as raccoons, feral cats, opossums, snakes, and squirrels will have easy access to the feeders.
Instead, mount bird feeders on metal poles that have been well greased with petroleum jelly. Finch feeders can also be hung from metal poles that have been greased in the same manner. Be sure to mount your feeders high enough off the ground so predators can’t jump up to reach them. The proper height for mounting a finch feeder is approximately 8 feet. Providing a safe shelter for finches will keep them coming back year after year.
Although you shouldn’t place birdhouses in trees or on bushes, foliage will help provide cover so finches and other wild birds can hide from predators. Besides security, bushes and trees also provide much needed shelter during periods of hot and cold weather. Hakeas are especially good for finches because of their spiny foliage. Choose other fast growing lush varieties that compliment your existing landscape. Birds of all species will appreciate the safe haven made available to them.
Providing the right seed will help draw finches to your property. Doing so will in turn make them more likely to nest there. Finches have bills similar to tweezers, which make shelling seeds effortless. Provide plenty of thistle seed in feeders designed especially for finches. These expressly designed tube-shaped feeders are brightly colored in order to attract finches. They are often designed to discourage unwelcome guests. On some finch feeders, the holes are positioned beneath the perches making it necessary for the birds to hang upside down to access the seed. Finches can easily dine in this precarious position while other birds cannot.
Finches do not dine on thistle seed alone. Provide favorite seed-producing flowers to help attract them. Finches particularly enjoy the seeds of heather, lavender, zinnia, coneflower, phlox, and sedum. After these flowers have gone to seed, finches will undoubtedly begin dining on them.
Providing the proper food and shelter is the best way to enjoy wildlife on your property. The time and cost involved in attracting particular species of birds is well worth the endeavor. Finches will certainly bring lots of color and contentment to your life. Most of all, you will gain pleasure in knowing that you’ve provided an environment that will meet their specific needs.
