- Author: Kathleen Klobas
I have a bird and bee-friendly yard—native and nonnative annuals, perennials, birdbath, and both birdseed and Nyjer feeders, hummingbird feeders also. There are lots of bees, hummers, scrub jays, wrens, and occasional black phoebe. But the most common and largest number of birds are lesser goldfinches. ( I call them LGFs for short!)
The feeders are clean and continuously filled, yet I see the little monsters (LGFs) pecking away at the broad green sunflower leaves! Why? So I did some research.
Apparently, this is very common in California. They are not eating insects on the leaves, but actually swallowing chunks of the greenery! The sunflower seeds don't seem to interest them.
Some bird experts believe that the minerals and vitamins are necessary for the birds during breeding and growth periods. Little research has been done on this as apparently, the LGFs do not affect the large commercial sunflower fields.
Other garden sources for the “salad eaters” are Jerusalem artichokes and lettuce that has gone to seed as well as seeds and tender buds of native plants.
I have also seen the little guys nibbling the cosmos seeds in my flower beds.
So—what to do? Other gardeners suggest netting, sparkling streamers, or spinning pie plates. I have decided to just plant more sunflowers, spacing them throughout the garden and yard in the hope that some will be overlooked and not skeletonized!
Next year, for sure!