Basic Parrot Nutrition

All balanced foods must contain components from five major groups in order to meet all nutritional requirements for the body.  These groups are listed below:   

• Protein - is made up of amino acids which are the "building blocks" of the body.

• Carbohydrates - are necessary for the production of energy and heat.

• Fats - are necessary for the production of energy and heat. Fats produce significantly more energy than carbohydrates.

• Vitamins/Minerals - are important in building body structure and carrying out specific metabolic functions.

• Water - essential for all body functions and equals about 60% of the total body weight of an adult parrot.

A balanced diet  MUST  provide all of these basic components.  A bird body's needs can and will vary at different times of the year (eg: breeding, moulting, and rapid growth). Therefore, a diet that meets the needs of your bird at one time of the year may be inadequate for the needs of your bird at another.

Any balanced diet is completely ineffective unless it is provided in a form which your bird will readily accept and eat. Therefore a balanced diet must be appealing, palatable, and nutritious. Although convincing your bird to accept pelletized diets may be easier said than done, we strongly encourage that the typical parrot species have pellets at least as a daily component of what is offered and consumed.

There are many ways of feeding caged birds.  These methods may vary with the species being fed, the season, and the availability or cost of the dietary components.  Some common diet options are as follows:

• Assorted seeds, fruits, vegetables, and greens.

• Beans, corn, rice, dog or monkey chow, fruits, vegetables, and greens.

• Beans, corn, rice, pellets, fruits, vegetables, and greens.

• Pellets, fruits, and vegetables.

• Pelleted food alone.

• Combinations of all of the above.

Some generalities in regard to these common dietary components:

• Seeds  

  • Protein - is marginal, and the balance of amino acids questionable.

  • Carbohydrates - good.

  • Fat - some seed (sunflower, safflower, peanuts) are extremely rich.  Fat percentages can be as high as 50%.   Parrots usually truly require far less fat in their total diet as compared to the amount that is available in seed - based diets.  

  • Vitamins/Minerals - seeds are a very poor source of Vitamin A and questionable regarding adequate levels of the B vitamin group.  Seeds definitely have a poor calcium/phosphorus/ Vitamin D3 balance. Furthermore, the high fat found in seeds combines in the gut to form "soaps" with dietary calcium - rendering what calcium that is consumed much less absorbable.  

  • Water - poor.  

• Fruits, Vegetables, and Greens

  • Protein - certain vegetables (beans, legumes, peas, corn) can provide good levels, but the balance of amino acids can be extremely variable. A good balance of different types of plant and vegetable material is required in order to provide an effective balance of protein for your birds.

  • Carbohydrates - good.

  • Fat - poor. A diet of exclusively vegetables and fruit is generally not likely to meet the fat and energy needs of most parrots.

  • Vitamins/Minerals - are generally high - but the quantity and balance of vitamin and mineral nutrition is extremely variable based on type of food, where grown, and the specific combinations being fed.

  • Water - fair to good levels.  This is what accounts for the myth that vegetables produce "diarrhea".  Actually, an increase in water consumption causes increased urination, which is a normal event.

• Vitamins/Minerals

Daily availability of good vitamin and mineral supply is important for all diets - with exception of the pelleted diets, as these products are supposed to have a balanced quantity of vitamins and minerals contained within. The supplements that you use should be complete and balanced, IF being provided to your birds. Excess supplements can and many times will be detrimental to the health of your bird. Vitamin toxicities of A and D3 are well documented in the avian medical literature, and "more" is not necessarily better regarding the use of supplements. If there is a need to supplement your parrot's diet with vitamins or minerals, we generally recommend water soluble products. Some of the non-water soluble products may be adequate in some settings.  Preferably, these products are sprinkled over soft foods, but they can be added to fresh water. This having been said, is should be acknowledged that the bird that requires regular supplementation of their diet with vitamins is NOT on a balanced diet, and supplementation is not the only or best thing to consider for your bird. Ideally, these birds are ultimately converted to the consumption of a balanced diet that no longer requires the additional supplementation of vitamins or minerals.

• Water

Must always be provided fresh daily in a clean container.  Galvanized containers are discouraged. Water should be available free-choice.    

• Gravel/Grit

It has been traditionally accepted that grit should be available for parrots on a regular or occasional basis. Grit functions as an aid to the gizzard in grinding food. It is questionable if most parrots even need grit at all. At our hospital, we do not recommend grit for larger parrots. It has been proven that grit removes Vitamins A, B2 and K from the digestive system.  Grit can lead to death (especially in young cockatiels) due to impaction.

We do not recommend the regular use of grit in parrots.

• People food for Birds

We encourage bird owners to feed their birds as if they were feathered people.  Anything good and nutritious for us is good for them.  Excessive fat-containing foods should be avoided. Birds should not be fed large or regular quantities of dairy products, as it is unrealistically to expect them to have the ability to digest milk sugars and milk proteins - they are not mammals.

Avocado should not be fed, as there is some valid concern about an avocado toxicosis in parrots as well as other species.

• Dog Food and Monkey Biscuits

These foodstuffs can be very nutritious and entertaining for birds. As occasional treats or a small component of your bird's diet, these items are more than acceptable. They are not a viable substitute for a complete and balanced diet, however. Keep in mind that dog food and monkey food is dog and monkey food - not parrot food.

• Pelleted Foods

These products are becoming more and more popular with time. Nutritionally, they are well balanced and complete.  Detailed short and long-term requirements are not well worked out, however, in most parrot species. For this reason, we recommend that pelleted foods be maintained as a component of a parrot's diet, but not necessarily the exclusive diet.

Acceptance of the pellets by your birds may not be good, and some birds may be difficult to switch over onto pellets. We encourage all of our clients to consider pellets or crumbles as a part of their bird's regular diet.

• Converting to a Pelletized Diet

Ideally, when you obtain your new bird, it has been raised and weaned onto a balanced diet, including pellets. If not, many of these birds will strongly prefer to continue eating the more tasty seed based diets that they are accustomed to. Unfortunately, long term, these "junk food junkies" will usually not be able to reach their normal life expectancy unless encouraged or trained to eat a balanced and low-fat diet. Traditionally, a seed - exclusive diet should be viewed as a "Death Diet" for most of our caged parrot species in the long term.

If YOUR bird is a "junkie" - we recommend the following considerations while trying to convert to a healthier diet:

Make sure that you know your bird is in good health otherwise. This is determined with routine physical examination in combination with screening laboratory work. Our Health Exam Handout covers this subject well. A bird that is less healthy than they appear will often break with its hidden illness when stressed - and dietary changes can be stressful.

Obtain the pellets you desire to try to convert to - and offer (in a single container) free choice pellets, some fruit / veggies, and limited seed. Be unpredictable from day to day - maybe, there is no seed today, a little tomorrow, and none the next day! Never offer enough seed that your bird can still consume only what it wants.

• Do not offer any treats or special goodies.

Keep in mind that birds are capable of starving themselves to death - so make sure that relatively normal feces are still being passed, and continue to provide plenty of food - with occasional seed - until your bird begins to broaden its interests.

Once acceptance of new foodstuffs begins - never give up! Continue to work to broaden your bird's dietary acceptance levels. The broader the dietary base your bird will accept - the better off his nutritional future will be.

Information Provided by:  

Brian L. Speer , DVM, DIP, ABVP, ECAMS

Certified in Avian Practice

European-Certified Avian Specialist

The Medical Center For Birds

3807 Main Street

Oakley , CA   94561

Phone: 925-625-1878          Fax: 925-625-8511

Secret Garden Exotic Birds
PO Box 4034, Antioch, Ca. 94531-4034

BUS: 925-757-3074