Food for Bullfinches? (1 Viewer)

Hi everyone, what's the best food for Bullfinches? I have several around where I live and would maybe like to tempt some onto my balcony. I don't have a garden, and my balcony is pretty high up, so my question is would they still come to a balcony? I tried putting out food before but birds didn't seem to notice it, is there any way to make it more noticeable for them? I would like to feed them and help them, but I don't know if they'd come to a balcony. Should I leave the food in my compound somewhere? Any help is welcome!

Hi,

Bullfinches will readily take seeds and peanuts from feeders and from bird tables, but they seem to like nearby cover. They can become quite willing to visit feeders, but it may take them a time to get used to them. I'm not sure that they'd come to a balcony, I think it may be a bit too exposed for them. You could try setting up a feeder in a quite part of the compound, somewhere with nearby bushes for cover. I'm not sure you'd be able to buy a conventional seed feeder in China, but you could always try and make one from an old plastic bottle or just use a bird table.

Don't be put off if nothing comes to the feeders straight away, keep putting out food little and often, so as not
to leave large amounts of waste food to attract vermin. I'm sure the local bird life will appreciate it, especially as the weather gets colder and natural food becomes more scarce. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Cheers.

Thank you for your input! I will try to make a feeder from a plastic bottle. There are cats in my compound, so I'd need to put it too high up for them to reach.

In the past I have bred Bullfinches; as well as Goldfinches and various Canaries.

Bullies really like berrys. I used to grow Raspberries for them which they would eat with relish.

Soft berries will be hard to come by in the wild at this time of year. So, try frozen (then defrosted) soft fruit such as Raspberry, Blackberry, Blackcurrents and Redcurrents.

Also, they like Niger seed (as do all finches) and a crumbled boiled egg or two.

I should add that the berrys and eggfood need to be replaced when it starts to go off. Which means replacing them every few days or so.