Key Takeaways
- Chaffinches feed primarily on insects, nuts, fruit, and seeds.
- The time of year affects Chaffinches’ feed choices, as they consume insects and seeds during warmer weather, then switch to nuts and seeds when the weather turns cold.
- Although they take food primarily from the ground, Chaffinches will feed from feeders with a rounded perch.
Do you want more chaffinches in your yard? Maybe you simply want to learn about chaffinches? Knowing what chaffinches eat can help with either of these, but what do they eat?
What Do Chaffinches Eat?
Like a lot of birds, a chaffinch’s diet is based on availability, which varies by season!
Chaffinches forage primarily on insects during the warm months, but they will also forage on seeds during this cycle too, even upping their seed consumption when insects are not available during the winter.
Chaffinches will also consume fruits and nuts in every season!
Chaffinches prefer to primarily forage on the ground, though they will take food from a hanging feeder, or off of a tree, they prefer to forage on the ground.
Let’s talk about seeds first.
Seeds
There are many seeds to be found in late summer, with autumn being the prime time for many seeds to be available. Chaffinches consume many seeds during this time of year because days are getting colder, and many insects are beginning to die off.
Most of these seeds are wild seeds (such as wild honeysuckle), but they also love sunflower seeds and Niger seeds.
If you are looking to attract chaffinches to your garden, this is a great way to begin growing these plants. It may take a few weeks for the chaffinch to realize the plants have been planted, but it will not be long before they start coming into your garden on a regular basis.
Insects
Chaffinches consume quite a number of insects during the summer months.
In fact, insects make up most of their diet for some parts of the year. They especially favor light-weight invertebrate bugs, such as mealworms and caterpillars.
Chaffinches will eat other bugs such as earthworms, maggots, and even snail eggs. A few also go after spiders.
They are also able to snatch winged bugs, such as moths or beetles, out of the air!
Fruit
Chaffinches will consume fruit during summer & autumn.
Specifically, they will consume fruit that is small enough for them to consume, such as berries and fruits grown from trees.
Nuts
Chaffinches will consume nuts in addition to the other food items mentioned above. If you want to offer them nuts, we recommend peanuts. They clearly like these best!
How To Feed Chaffinches
While you can offer chaffinches food in hanging bird feeders (which I will elaborate on later), the best bet is either on the ground or a low or standing feeder.
As we’ve established chaffinches are ground birds, and like to feed this way. Therefore, you could also just disperse a food they really like on a defined spot in your yard.
Alternatively, you could try a ground feeder. A ground feeder is a good solution to stop your backyard from looking cluttered and will allow the chaffinches easy access to food. A ground feeder is also simple to replenish and clean.
Additionally, you could use a standing feeder. A standing feeder may add a little more beauty to your yard but still allow a chaffinch the same freedom of movement as a ground feeder. This is a good compromise between a ground feeder and a hanging feeder.
Plus, if you have multiple standing feeders, one could easily get turned into a birdbath!
Just remember to consider chaffinch predators while deciding where to provide food. They will require a certain level of cover (a high feeder or a fenced backyard) to eat peacefully.
Do Chaffinches Use Hanging Bird Feeders?
Chaffinches definitely will use hanging bird feeders; however, do remember they are considered mostly ground feeders.
So while a number of chaffinches would likely not refuse free food being offered from a hanging bird feeder, most prefer you to simply throw the seed on the ground to feed on.
Important note: chaffinches do not take well to bird feeders having straight stands; they prefer rounded perches.
Fill your feeder with some seeds and accommodate to the chaffinches!
How Do Chaffinches Drink Water?
Similar to many other birds, chaffinches will take advantage of clean water that is easily accessible.
This can range anywhere from fresh puddles after it rains to fountains.
To help them find the water, you can always put a bird bath (which should be high up under a tree or some other shelter) in your yard. And you have a couple of options to choose from: a standing bird bath or a hanging bird bath!
They will more often than not use the water to clean themselves as well!
Where Can You Find Chaffinches?
Chaffinches inhabit woods, parks, and agricultural areas.
Typically you’ll find them throughout the UK, Ireland, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
Since chaffinches are so common, if you visit or now currently live in one of those places you probably have seen (or will see) a chaffinch.
How To Identify A Chaffinch
Chaffinches are a petite bird, only 5-7 inches in size, with a wingspan of 9-11 inches.
The males are naturally colorful, with bright tan-orange cheeks, buff chests, and gray caps. The females are brown and therefore far less colorful overall. They’ll have white patches on their shoulders.
Both genders have bright wings with distinct white and black bars.
In terms of personality, chaffinches tend to be on the shy side. You may need to hide to coax them to your bird feeder.