Bird Species-specific Nutrition

In general you need to provide a large variety of fresh food for your bird.

Typically I recommend a core diet of an organic and color free parrot pellet. A large variety of fresh vegetables should be provided for both nutrition and mental stimulation.

• Click here for information on organic foods -- a listing of the most and the least contaminated food items, as well as handling tips.

A small amount of seeds can be provided as a treat. Seeds should be clean and fresh. Sprouted seeds can also be offered and are a good way of introducing greens to the stubborn eater.

Added by AvianWeb:

Sprouted or germinated seeds are usually more easily accepted by "seed addicts" than fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Sprouted seeds are healthier as the sprouting changes and enhances the nutritional quality and value of seeds and grains. Sprouted seeds are lower in fat, as the process of sprouting utilizes the fat in the seed to start the growing process - thus reducing the fat stored in the seeds.
• Sprouted seeds will help balance your bird’s diet by adding a nutritious supply of high in vegetable proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and chlorophyll.
• Soaked and germinated "oil" seeds, like niger and rape seeds, are rich in protein and carbohydrates; while "starch" seeds, such as canary and millets, are rich in carbohydrates, but lower in protein.
• It is in invaluable food at all times; however, it is especially important for breeding or molting birds. Sprouted seeds also serve as a great rearing and weaning food as the softened shell is easier to break by chicks and gets them used to the texture of seeds.

Again, variety will occur with the individual types of macaws.

However, in general these birds require a higher fat content in their diet which can be provided with some of the large nuts as a part of their regular diet.

Greys are often subject to calcium deficiency and will require higher calcium content in their diet then other birds.

The best way to provide this is by providing calcium rich foods such as cheeses and yogurt in moderation. Greens such as collards, kale, and mustard greens provide a healthy source of calcium. Another source is from almonds and dairy products in moderation.

Eclectus often require more vitamin A in their diet than other birds, but you must be very careful with supplements because it is easy to create Vitamin A toxicity. Again, providing natural sources of Vitamin A is best.

Vitamin A promotes appetite, digestion, and also increases resistance to infection and to some parasites.

The most obvious sign of a vitamin A deficiency is a feather stain above the cere. The staining of the feathers above the nostrils reflects a discharge from the nostrils. Subtle differences may be seen as far as the color intensity of the cere and feathers is concerned - and the overall condition of the plumage. A bird deficient in this vitamin may have pale, rough-looking feathers that lack luster. The cere may look rough instead of smooth, and you may see an accumulation of a yellow dry scale on the sides of the beak.

Vitamin A occurs naturally in dark leafy greens and orange-colored produce, such as apricots, cantaloupes, carrots, red peppers, pumpkins and sweet potatoes. To resolve Vitamin A deficiency, try adding foods like sweet potatoes (either cooked or steamed until soft), mashed up with other fruits will be both loved by your pet bird, as much as it is good for her or him. Many birds also enjoy fresh carrot juice - or try offering shredded carrots. Natural sources are preferable over synthetically produced nutrients, which may not be absorbable and could easily be overdosed).

These guys are my exception to the rule of pellets.

In general I like to place my avian patients on a complete balanced pellet, but for budgies and cockatiels I recommend that the pellets be no more than 50% of their diet with fresh/clean seeds offered daily and of course fresh veggies.

1. Those veggies containing a high amount of oxalates. Some common examples include: spinach, chard, and bok choy.
2. Fruits, which can provide too much sugar in the bird's diet.
3. Diets that are based 100% on cooked beans/grains/pasta. These diets often have too much phosphorus and are very high in calories which can result in an obese bird.
4. The diet should not be based on seeds. Seed diets contain too much fat and are deficient in many nutrients.

*Peanuts are often contaminated with aflatoxin, a fungal toxin. Aflatoxin is carcinogenic and causes liver damage in birds and other animals. Roasting reduces aflatoxin but does not eliminate it entirely. North American peanut producers are currently working on eliminating contaminated peanuts from their products. Especially peanuts with dark spots on them should be considered suspect, but even those that look clean and perfect could possibly be contaminated.

1. Caffeine
2. Chocolate
3. The pits of most fruits, such as plums, peaches, apricots, and nectarines, contain cyanide. Cyanogenic glycosides are enzyme inhibitors that cause nausea, vomiting, and eventually coma
4. Raw Beans: Many raw beans contain a trypsin inhibitor that interferes with protein metabolism; as well as hemaglutin (another toxin). Cooked and sprouted beans are fine.
5. Eggplant, potato, tomato leaves, and green potatoes. Their leaves contain alkaloids that are poisonous for birds. Symptoms of ingestion in a bird include vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing.
6. Avocado: The toxin persin is mostly found in the leaves, rind, and bark from avocado trees. However, even the fruit should be off-limits for pet birds. Persin poisoning causes respiratory distress and heart failure.
7. Nutmeg contains a narcotic, myristicin, that can cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting in birds.
8. Rhubarb leaves contain high concentrations of oxalic acid, an intestinal irritant. Large doses are fatal.
9. Tobacco contains the poisonous alkaloid, nicotine. Birds that ingest tobacco leaves suffer vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and other symptoms.