been watching a juvenile goldfinch (no red head) struggling to work out how to get into the sunflower seed feeder cage at the correct level.

too high and you're just perched on the topmost bars, walking around the cage and unable to stretch far enough inwards to grab a seed - especially if the stock level is low, but those finches are small with quite limited reach anyway.

too low and you're upended by gravity and your lack of momentum to get stranded dangling by your feet upside down under the cage - without the grip and strength to swing yourself back in. At which point the only option is to let go, tumble and fly off before hitting the ground and perhaps come back for another go.

the trick is apparently to aim just above the bottom of the cage pointing enough of your front end through the bars as you fold your wings such that you can plop down onto the base on the inside and just sit their guzzling away with 2 or 3 of your family members.

how long it takes for most goldfinches to work this out and perfect the manoeuvre or if some never do get it. It's definitely a lot harder for the robins (bigger for trying to aim through the gaps) but easier for tits (because they can twist their legs around and hence gain entry after landing).

they probably learn quite quickly.