A few months back I put up a niger feeder in my garden. Up until now nothing has been interested in it.
However the past few days its gone right down. Since I live in a flat I can't see whats on my feeders, so I use a camera trap. Anyway it seems that House Sparrows have figured out how to use the feeder! Its them eating it all.
Is it normal for sparrows to eat it? Never seen them mentioned on any niger food articles lol.
Cheers
My Spadgers eat the Niger seed if they can't get to the seed or sunflower hearts. The Feral Pigeons also try to get to the feeder but with considerably less success!
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
Of the very few House Sparrows we see I haven't seen them at the Nijer. However I am given to understand Tree Sparrows can be very fond of nijer so I suspect House Sparrows may as well.
I have nyger seed out all the time in my garden but have never seen any of my House Sparrows go anywhere near it. Maybe it would be different if it was the only food available but my Sparrows tend to go straight for the suet ball feeder.
See my Flickr photos here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/115745582@N04/
Have the goldfinches and Siskins eating the Niger seeds
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.