Basically at bird stores: Nyjer = Niger = Thistle, it is all the same seed. It’s that tiny seed you put out for finches, siskins and redpolls and it’s not grown in North America–one of the reasons it’s one of the more expensive seeds.
Because many finches are acrobatic feeders, open mesh feeders are popular designs for feeding Nyjer. These feeders have a plastic or metal mesh that forms the body of the feeder and allows the birds to cling directly to the feeding surface while they pluck seeds through other holes in the mesh.
Nyjer Feeders at Natural Gardens
As small as it is, a niger seed does have a shell. If you think birds aren’t eating the seed because you see some on the ground, examine it more closely: you may be seeing mostly the thin niger hulls. Niger seed is vulnerable to spoilage while in the feeder. … Common Redpolls eat niger seed from a mesh finch feeder.
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