Do Goldfinches Feed on Cedar Tree Berries?

Habitat and Range

• American goldfinches inhabit most of North America and are year-round residents of most of the United States. Some spend their summers in southern Canada and migrate to parts of the U.S. South and Southwest, and many parts of Mexico. During spring and summer, the males' plumage brightens to a canary-yellow, which makes them simple to spot at a backyard feeder. When winters are cold, goldfinches prefer landscapes with dense cover to protect them from the weather elements and predators.

Preferred Seeds

• Like most granivorous birds, American goldfinches prefer certain seeds, although occasionally they stray from their preferences. Many of their main sources of food come from plants in the Asteraceae family, which includes asters (Aster spp.) and sunflowers (Helianthus spp.), both of which generally are hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9, depending on species. Grass seeds are among goldfinches' favorite foods, and they readily feast upon them in meadows and prairies as tall grasses go to seed. Tree seeds also are on their menu.

Strict Vegetarians

• It's rare to find a bird species that is as strict on its vegetarian diet as the American goldfinch. Unlike other granivorous birds that supplement their diet with insects, goldfinches eat insects only mistakenly. Even their young are fed seeds, not regurgitated insects or other animals.

Goldfinches and Cedar

• Although your goldfinch population isn't after true berries on your cedars or other evergreens, it still may take advantage of your prized landscape conifers for their seeds and/or the cover they provide. American goldfinches prefer to make their nests in shrubs or trees with branches low to the ground, although sometimes they nest higher. The dense branches of many kinds of cedars can make effective hiding places for nests as well as effective cover.