If you are finding mysterious holes in sunflower leaves and wonder who the culprit is, take heart. You are not alone. Many people, particularly in California and Texas, are asking what eats sunflower leaves. Surprisingly, the leaf eater is not an insect, but probably a bird called the lesser goldfinch. While it enjoys seeds of plants in the daisy family, the lesser goldfinch also dines on sunflower foliage, leaving tattered greens in its wake. Identify Damage from a Goldfinch on Sunflower Leaves The range of the lesser goldfinch extends from the Western U.S. south into Mexico and as far as the Peruvian Andes in oak, cottonwood, and willow habitats. In residential areas, the lesser goldfinch visits feeders alongside American goldfinches, pine siskins and house finches. What do goldfinches eat? They primarily eat seeds of the composite family of plants and seeds of grasses, weeds, and certain trees. Lesser goldfinches add […]
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