Perky-Pet 399 Patented Upside Down Thistle Feeder

I noticed the comment on the squirrels eating through the feed tube and wanted to offer my experience. I have found two types of "finch" seed, one that is 100% thistle and another that is a mix with another tiny tan seed. I started with the 100% thistle and didn't have any issues with squirrels until i used the other mix--then the squirrels ate through the feeder in a day. the brand feeder i had had a replacement policy and i replaced the tube but didn't think about the seed, so the squirrels ate through it again. I repaired and switched back to the 100% thistle, and for a year now, I have not had any issues with squirrels. Squirrels will get into almost any feeder but luckily they don't like thistle, so stick with the 100% thistle seed in finch feeders and you should be able to keep it in great shape for years.

This product is the ONLY thing to use for thistle seeds. You will get some bright yellow goldfinches, who are the "only" bird that can hang upside down to eat the seeds. Any other feeder will attract sparrows. Sparrows land on the posts on this one and try really hard to reach under, but always fall off the perch. The gold finches just spin around upside down and go to town eating. It does make a bit of a mess under it, with thistle seed tailings, so be careful on placement (i.e. in a garden not on your patio, or have some kind of tray underneath).

Only the goldfinches actually have no problem eating the thistle they love, while hanging upside down.

Usually, sparrows or house finches will bully out the goldfinches, eventually scaring them away, but this unique feeder takes advantage of the fact that those larger, less graceful birds just can't hang upside down, so if you just want pure goldfinch at a feeder, this is the way to guarantee that.

Here is a slow motion video I recorded of a couple goldfinches enjoying the feeder.
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Goldfinches are great to have around... for one thing, they eat dandelion seeds, right off your lawn... for another, they sing their hearts out a lot of the year, like a bunch of cute little canaries. their acrobatic hijinks alone are a good reason to have lots of good windows on your house, just so you can see them looping and bouncing through the air as if there were no such thing as gravity.

I suggest that you plant birch trees, sun flowers,...Read more