Nyger Seed (Thistle Seed) | Wild Bird Seed

These tiny black oilseeds are high in protein. Birds break the tiny shell to get to the meat inside. Nyjer seeds are often referred to as "thistle seeds," although they aren't related to the thistle family—they're actually seeds from a plant grown in Africa and Asia. 

Nyjer seeds are ideal for small-beaked birds, such as finches, and you can find feeders specially designed to feed nyjer seed to smaller birds. Nyjer seed tends to be more expensive than many other types of seed, but many birds prefer it over other seed types.

Birds attracted to nyjer feeders include:

• Buntings
• Goldfinches
• House finches
• Redpolls
• Pine siskins