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That little black seed that is irresistible
to goldfinches and pine siskins is actually
nyjer (sometimes spelled nijer). It is often
called thistle, but technically it isn't thistle
seed at all.

Nyjer seed comes from a yellow daisy-like
plant that grows in parts of Africa and India.
The seed that is imported to the US is
heat~treated so it will not germinate or
sprout, so nyjer won't create a weed problem
in your yard. (If an occasional seed sprouts,
let it grow and you will have some happy
finches.) Nyjer is more expensive than
other seed, but a little goes a long way and
it is a highly nutritious seed for your birds.

We have special nyjer feeders that have
small holes or are made with mesh so that
there's less waste and the tiny njyer seeds
poke out of the holes for the birds to eat.
Goldfinches and pine siskins love to eat
upside down and cling to feeders which is
why many nyjer feeders don't have perches.
You'll see that some companies label their
feeders as thistle tubes or thistle feeders,
but they are the same as nyjer feeders.
At The Fat Finch we refer to them as nyjer
feeders because it's easier ~ have you tried to
say "thistle sack" three times in a row fast??