Avian Diet and Nutrition

Diet for all Psittacine: Macaws, Amazons, African Grays, Cockatiels, Cockatoos, Conures, Budgies (Parakeets), etc.

Avian veterinarians and researchers have made great strides in the field of nutrition in recent years. The diet of birds in their wild habitat varies from season to season and based on local climate and weather. Researchers have discovered that the diet of wild parrots can encompass hundreds of various nuts & seed, fruits, berries and plants. Parrot species come from habitats ranging across Central and South America, Africa, New Zealand and Australia. While most inhabit tropical and sub-tropical zones within their native continent, there are some that are at home in more temperate regions. With such a wild variation in plants species across the natural parrot range, it is simply impossible for a private owner to adequately mimic the natural diet. Thankfully, many companies provide high quality, easy to use, pelleted diets for all companion birds.

Common seeds and cereal grains such as millet, sunflower, oats, corn, and safflower can be missing as many as 32 essential nutrients. Avian researchers noted as early as 1923, that birds fed an all seed diet did not live as long and had more health issues than birds kept off seed. Unfortunately, seed is relatively inexpensive, making it attractive as a staple feed. Many people attempt to correct deficiencies by supplementing with fruits and vegetables. However, most commercially available produce does not fulfill the vitamin and mineral shortages found in seed diets. Many parrots fed an all seed diet, start to pick out their favorites (typically sunflower or safflower seeds), and ignore the other components of the diet. This food preference leads to nutritional deficiencies, obesity, liver disease and GI infections. It can also be a primary cause of feather plucking, poor feathering, and beak overgrowth and flaking.

Parrots and Songbirds (canaries and finches) do not need the addition of grit in their diet and this can often be harmful and lead to impactions in the digestive system. The only birds that should be offered grit are chickens, pigeons, and doves.

Feeding table scraps in an attempt to mimic the variety of natural foods has also been offered as an appropriate means of creating a balanced diet. Avian veterinarians now know that diets high in table foods and seeds are the leading causes for common avian diseases and conditions. Many table foods can be not only unhealthy, but harmful to birds. Yeast products like breads, crackers, and pasta can alter the flora in the crop and GI tract leading to imbalances and infections. True junk food items like chips, cookies, pizza, and fried foods have too much salt, sugar, and fat. Animal food items like meats, eggs, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream are also too high in salt, fat, protein, and sugars. Fatty foods that often come across the human dinner table are a leading cause of obesity and obesity related diseases in companion birds. Never offer a bird caffeinated drinks or products (even "decaf" drinks!), chocolate, avocado, alcohol, onions or mushrooms.

Visual Signs of Nutritional Deficiency

You may wonder how your avian veterinarian seems to know what you are feeding at home at first glance. The nutritional deficiencies appear in stages. The first system affected is the digestive system. Abnormal stool color, shape, and consistency can be indicators of bacterial imbalance, yeast infections, opportunistic parasite infections and other disease processes related to nutritional deficiency. Other physical signs are a brittle, peeling, chipped, or overgrown beak, overgrown nails and dry or flaky skin on the feet. Feathers appear tattered, broken or have lines/bands ("stress bars") on them, bald areas or areas of picking. These are all common markers of parrots fed a diet of seed or table foods.

In some birds, signs of aggression, avoidance and frequent illness can be traced back to a seed or table food based diet.

Proper Diet for Avian Health

With all the choices out there, it can be hard to determine what the best diet for a bird may be. Pet and specialty stores have shelves of brightly colored pellets, mixtures, and packages proclaiming to be the best diet possible for all species. Buzz words like "Human Grade", "All Natural" and "Complete Nutrition for All Birds" abound. It can be difficult for even an experienced bird owner to separate the hype from the facts.

Pelleted diets are the preferred staple recommended by avian veterinarians. Look for the label "Organic". The term "Organic" is the only food label regulated by the government with strict legal guidelines for growth and production. Pellets with the USDA Organic label meet or exceed the regulations set down for the growth, handling and processing of those food items. All other phrasing is determined by the individual manufacturer and will vary depending on that company's marketing policies.

We recommend and carry Harrison's Bird Foods. Founded and created by a board certified avian veterinarian, Harrison's Bird Foods provide the highest standard of avian nutrition. Harrison's bird food is considered the gold standard in avian nutrition. That said, not all birds are created equal and the main goal is to provide a pelleted diet and move away from diets based in seed and table food. Any pelleted diet is going to be an improvement over a seed or table food based diet. We recommend avoiding foods that contain dyes as these may contain chemicals or sugars that make these diets less suitable. These diets are reserved for the rare bird that refuses all of the organic, dye-free diets in favor of the more brightly colored options.

We recommend the addition of fresh, organic produce to the pelleted diet. Fruits should be limited, as they are high in sugar. Total fruit amounts for a small to medium bird should be no more than a tablespoon. For large parrots, limit fruits to no more than 2 tablespoons. Food will remain in the GI tract overnight, and high concentrations of sugar can lead to digestive imbalances. Thus, fruits should only be offered in the morning, so that the bird is able to process and digest the sugar content over the course of the day.

The bulk of the fresh food component for companion parrots should be darkly pigmented organic vegetables. We have attached a list of acceptable vegetables. A small "salad" equal to about twice the size of the bird's head can be fed afternoon to evening. For birds that are first being introduced to supplemental fresh foods, it can be helpful to start with the sweeter vegetables like sweet potato, carrots, snap peas, sweet peppers and pumpkin. Brightly colored peppers are often a favorite for many birds.

Conversion Tips

There are many methods of converting seed eaters to a pelleted diet supplemented with fresh vegetables. The method we prefer to try first is as follows:

Purchase a new food bowl and put a measured amount of Harrison's High Potency in it as recommended by the label. Put in the normal amount of seed into the current food dish making a note of the starting measurement. Over the next 2 weeks, remove any empty seed husks and hulls but do not add new seed unless fecal matter contaminates the food. Make a note of the amount discarded due to fecal contamination and only replace that volume. At first you will notice your bird playing with and throwing around the pellets. This is normal exploration behavior. As time goes on and the seed level decreases, especially as the parrot's favorites are eaten up, you will notice your bird eating the pellets. Some birds prefer to soak their pellets prior to eating them. This is normal, simply replace the water with fresh after they are done.

Once the bird is eating the pellets without turning to the depleted seed bowl, remove the seed bowl and replace with the bowl you will use for fresh vegetables.

If this method does not work, please contact your veterinarian for additional methods or tips.

Proper nutrition will help your bird live to its full life expectancy. You will notice brighter, smoother, and more vibrant plumage. If the bird is still relatively young, the beak and skin health will also improve once converted to a pelleted diet. Some birds will become more interactive and engaging.

As a part of your bird's health care team, the veterinarians and staff at Orange Grove Animal Hospital are committed to providing the best for our avian patients. A large part of this commitment is providing the best and most accurate nutrition and husbandry information.