COPYRIGHT 1996 By David Poole
Good safe foods that I also use with my birds are: Banana, Apple, Pear, Melon, Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Cherry, Apricot, Peach, Nectarine, Pineapple, Guava, Mango, Grapes (only a few for they have very little nutritional value). Potatoes — either boiled or dry roasted (a safe alternative for the delicious but totally unhealthy french-fry) Swede (sorry rutabas)– boiled in water or cooked with carrot in fresh orange juice. Cauliflower, Spinach, Kale, Cabbage, Pumpkin (seeds as well), Vegetable Marrow & Courgette (sorry Zucchini), boiled or baked, Sweet Potato boiled in water or orange juice or baked, Sugar Snap Peas and Mange-Tout (lightly steamed), Green beans,boiled or steamed, Bean Sprouts — Mung and Fenugreek, either fresh — make sure they are thoroughly washed, or lightly steamed. Onions — either fresh, dry roasted or boiled. Garlic — same as for onions. Whole wheat, brown rice, pearl barley, oats, bulgur wheat. Natural yoghurt sweetened with fresh fruit is a very good source of beneficial bacteria and promotes optimum conditions within the digestive tract for natural, healthy flora. Low fat or hard cheese can be a beneficial source of protein and oils if used with caution. Both onions and garlic can also be used as flavourings as can very sparing amounts of cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and sweet bay. Dried, powdered chillis and paprika can be used reasonably liberally.
Bad foods are Avocado — highly toxic and rapidly fatal. Rhubarb — excessively acidic and may contain remaining traces of the toxin, oxalic acid even after cooking. Olives – excessive oil/salt and if not properly prepared, may contain toxic residues remaining from the processing. Aubergine (Egg Plant) may contain slightly raised levels of solanin which although comparatively harmless to humans in such quantities, may cause digestive upsets or worse with parrots. Asparagus — Asparagin which gives the characteristic flavour can cause severe stomach upsets. Chocolate — Theobromin which gives chocolate it’s characteristic flavour and is thought by some to have a soothing near addictive effect on humans, is toxic to psittacines and has been associated with respiratory and cardiac problems ultimately leading to death. Anything containing caffeine — tea of coffee can eventually lead to cardiac problems and in certain cases can also lead to hyper-activity. Anything containing alcohol. Milk or cream in any large quantities cannot be properly digested and can cause digestive problems with very long term, regular use. Butter, because of its pure fat content and also the possibility of the same digestive problems caused by milk and cream. I would be cautious in the use of nutmeg as a flavouring — it is poisonous even to use if taken in excess and I believe that the ‘jury is still out’ with regard to coriander.
No doubt there are many others which should be added to the list of baddies, but I can’t think of them at the moment and I think the best maxim to apply with the diet of any parrot is “If in doubt, don’t” There is such a vast amount of good things to give your bird without having to resort to those which are, or may be questionable. Hope this helps.
Thanks for ur information, Sir I have one question, is boiled purple yam is good for birds or not?
Very good info thanks for ideas and bad list
I am puzzled by the onions being listed as safe. I was told by an avian vet, plus have read that onions are extremely toxic to birds. You might want to check before someone kills their bird.
Onions and garlic are toxic to birds according to my avian vet and other bird sites.
yes they are do not use them ever but a tiny bit shared from your plate is ok
Yes onions and Garlic are toxic to avians. A sin conure died from eating Garlic and a chicken. In fact exotic avians don’t eat half is what is listed on this blog.
Do you see a parrot with a chef hat steaming potato’s In the wild? Parrots eat raw food not steamed and processed. Berry’s, flowers, medicinal bark and yes certain veggies and seeds. The right seeds in the flesh of fruit. Parrots don’t cook!! Prepare fresh raw organic healthy chop. People need to research safe organic fruit and veggies remember to add the seeds of safe fruits and stay away from cherry seeds, apricot, etc.
I have some dried bulgur wheat do I have to cook before feeding it to the birds or is it ok to put out raw.
All other sources say onion and garlic are bad for wild birds.
Van my cockatiel have pinto bean sprouts?
are you kidding me? garlic and onions in any shape or form is a definite hard NO…. please people dont feed your bird these, you will kill them or at the very least make them deathly ill… who is this person with such poor information?
Can wild bird have Unsalted Butter with bird seed in pls
Onions and garlic are toxic to birds
Creating a list of foods considered dangerous or toxic to pet birds can be a challenge for many reasons. Just as people don’t have the same reactions to certain foods that another mammal might have, a food that makes one species of bird ill doesn’t necessarily cause illness in another species of bird. Birds belong to Class Aves, a large, diverse group in which many differences exist in anatomy and physiology; so different bird species will demonstrate different sensitivities to toxins.
Onions & garlic are toxic for birds!! The author of this article needs to edit this article to reflect more accurate information.