What Do European Goldfinches Eat? (Complete Guide)

European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a beautiful bird. A little red in the face, of course, but still pretty. Goldfinches often look a little stressed and angry, however, they are flying around our gardens with little regard for the world looking for food. But what do goldfinch eat? Well, let’s find out, shall we?

European goldfinches eat mostly seeds. They love small seeds and usually eat thistle seeds. They are also happy to eat grass seeds and some tree seeds. If you have just seeded your lawn, you may have noticed a few extra goldfinches in the garden.

As we will see in this goldfinch article, they are very picky eaters. Attracting goldfinch to your garden will take some effort on your part.

While goldfinches feed almost exclusively on seeds, they do hunt insects for their young. Insects provide these birds with an easy-to-carry takeaway food that provides plenty of calories. So, that’s why you’ll occasionally see a goldfinch or two with an insect in its beak.

Goldfinch perched on grass and eating seeds

What do goldfinches eat in the wild?

Goldfinches rely on small seeds for most of their diet. They eat a variety of seeds, but the seeds of thistles, grasses, and some trees make up the majority of their diet. You may see them preying on an occasional insect or two, but if seeds are available, they can easily survive on them.

What do goldfinch eat in winter?

Most of the goldfinch in the UK spend the winter in Spain. The cold winter weather didn’t help their colorful plumage, so they booked cheap flights to Spain, where they collected seed samples.

If any goldfinches decide to stay in the UK, they will probably use feeding stations in the garden to keep them alive during the colder months.

A pair of goldfinches eating seeds from a feeder in winter

What do goldfinch eat in summer?

Goldfinch love to eat dandelion seeds in early summer. They will then tend to thistles and grasses in late summer. Their beaks have evolved in such a way that they are some of the best thistle seed eaters on the planet!

How do goldfinches find food and hunt?

Goldfinches are master eaters of thistles. Their beaks have evolved to allow them to pluck seeds from thistles, much like a magician can easily use in later tricks while you watch.

Goldfinches don’t really hunt because they only eat seeds. They find a juicy thistle or a dandelion, and their beaks start talking.

Goldfinch eating a marsh thistle

What do baby goldfinch eat?

While adult goldfinch tend to eat seeds, seeds, and more seeds, baby goldfinch will occasionally eat insects. Small goldfinches need to gain weight quickly, and seeds aren’t enough to do the job. So, that’s the only time you’ll see adults hunting for insects.

How do I attract goldfinch to my garden?

One of the most attractive plants for goldfinches is staccato grass. They also love thistles and dandelions. So, the best plants in your garden are not the most attractive. However, you can also attract these beauties by offering small seeds at feeding stations.

A small flock of goldfinch feeding in a meadow in spring

What is a goldfinch’s favorite food?

One of goldfinches’ favorite foods is chop. They love them in fall and winter. Once the seed heads are dry, goldfinches can use their thin beaks to deftly remove seeds from between the spikes.

What kind of feeders do goldfinches like?

Goldfinches are very fond of nyjer feeders and nyjer seeds. The seeds are so small that you really need one of the feeders; they just overflow from the other feeders.

Three goldfinches eating Nyjer seeds from a professional Nyjer seed feeder

What do goldfinches drink?

Like most birds, goldfinches don’t drink much. They don’t have sweat glands like those of us who sweat a lot. You may occasionally see goldfinch drinking a little water, but they don’t need much to survive.

What do goldfinch eat?

The only wild predator of the goldfinch in the UK is the sparrowhawk. However, cats have also been known to eat a goldfinch or two.

Goldfinch eating burdock in winter

European Goldfinch Diet FAQs

Do Goldfinches Eat Sunflower Seeds?

Goldfinches will happily eat sunflower seeds and most other seeds they can find at feeding stations.

Do Goldfinches Eat Peanuts?

Although their natural diet consists mainly of seeds, at the feeder Goldfinches have a strong preference for peanuts and will eat them with great pleasure.

Do Goldfinches Eat Sunflower Hearts?

Goldfinch loves sunflower hearts. Filling your feeders with sunflower hearts is one of the best ways to attract common goldfinch into your garden.

In fact, in a recent goldfinch survey (sounds like a joke, but someone actually looked into what goldfinch eat), sunflower hearts came out on top. Even more than nyjer seeds!

A pair of European Goldfinches eating a sunflower heart from a bird feeder

Do Goldfinch Eat Mealworms?

Goldfinches prefer seeds to meat. However, they may take a mealworm or two from the feeding station. This usually happens when they are raising their young, and mealworms are given to the babies.

Do Goldfinches Eat Black Sunflower Seeds?

They sure will. Black sunflower seeds are right on the goldfinch’s meal plan. They eat black sunflower seeds until they can barely take off.

Do Goldfinches Eat Fat Balls?

Goldfinches will eat fat pellets; however, they absolutely love suet mixed with peanut butter. So, to introduce goldfinch to your garden, try peanut butter.

goldfinch in flight

Do Goldfinches Eat Lavender Seeds?

We know that many birds eat lavender seeds, but we couldn’t find any evidence that goldfinches do. They probably do. Their beaks are specialized for picking out the tiny lavender seeds. If you have lavender bushes in your garden, and if you spot goldfinch eating, please let us know!

Do Goldfinches Eat Thistle Seeds?

Goldfinches absolutely love thistle seeds; in fact, they make up a large portion of their diet.

Do goldfinches eat nyjer seeds?

Nyjer seeds are one of the most popular seeds in Goldfinch feeding stations; they can’t get enough of them.

Do Goldfinches Eat Safflower Seeds?

There is no goldfinch that does not eat safflower seeds. In fact, these are the seeds that divide the birds down the middle.

They are very much like the Marmite of the seed world. Some birds simply cannot get enough safflower seeds. Some won’t even come close to your feeder if it has safflower seeds in it, even if it’s a mixed seed!

Where do you place your goldfinch feeders?

The best place to place a goldfinch feeder is near trees, bushes, or any dense area. This ensures that the goldfinches feel safe and not in open areas where they could be preyed upon by predators.