Birds That Eat Thistle. Finches are squatty, colorful birds with short, stout beaks and a wide range of hues. They only eat the “meat” inside.

The species of birds that eat thistle seed include finches, juncos, and mourning doves, just to name a few. Most feeder birds, except goldfinches, will eat mealworms if you offer them. One type of seed that raccoons will happily munch on, straight out of your bird feeders, are thistle seeds.