In general, birds are omnivores. Their digestive systems can handle vegetables, fruits, grains, insects - just about anything. But the fact that your bird isn't picky doesn't mean it's easy to determine a good diet for her. Remember, proper nutrition is not what the animal will eat, but what she should eat. The main part of your bird's diet should consist of seeds and grains, but vegetables and fruit (and even meat) are also essential to health.
In the wild, birds have access to a wide range of foods in varying amounts. Many wild birds need to eat their body weight in food each day just to meet the needs of their high metabolisms.
For domestic birds, the right daily intake (variety and amount) is very hard to determine. The amount of food your bird needs correlates directly with factors such as species, weight, age, health, activity level and ambient temperature. Nevertheless, some generalizations can be made about the feeding of a healthy bird of any hard-billed species:
- Your bird has a very high metabolic rate.
- Food should be available to her at all times.
- Her diet should consist of pellets and seeds.
- She needs a constant source of clean, fresh water.
The amount of food your bird should eat is harder to determine because there are no preset feeding amounts for any species. Factors include activity level, ambient temperature, humidity and the age of your bird. Feed enough to keep your bird looking healthy but not fat. A healthy bird is lively and alert, and has full plumage.
The "Other" Major Foods for Your Bird
Seed diets alone do not provide all the nutrients your bird needs. The following food groups are also important:
- Vegetables: The vitamin and mineral content of vegetables is high. Vegetables are especially helpful in providing vitamin A, calcium, iron and trace minerals. Good choices are carrots, spinach, broccoli tops, tomatoes and sprouts. Vegetables should be offered in pieces to large birds (e.g., parrots) and shredded for small birds (e.g., budgerigars).
- Fruits: In general, birds love fruit. Fruits provide vitamins, minerals and water, but they should never make up the largest portion of the diet. Some good choices are apples, pears, grapes, bananas and berries.
- Legumes: A great source of proteins and fats (and other nutrients), legumes can be served whole to large birds and chopped to small birds. Good choices include peas, lentils, soybeans and peanuts.
- Nuts: Served whole to large birds and chopped to small birds, nuts make good treats. Nuts include almonds, cashews, walnuts and hazelnuts.
- Meats: Many birds like to have insects and other meats in their diet. Meat is a rich source of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. Meat choices include mealworms, earthworms, crickets, cooked chicken and eggs. To determine if your bird is a meat eater, offer a small amount of mealworm, cooked chicken or egg.
Food Presentation
- Keep food (pellets or seeds) available at all times in a feeding dish or, preferably, a seed holder.
- Feed your bird "other" foods two or three times a day on a consistent schedule. Your bird is a creature of habit and needs the routine.
- Serve pellets or seeds in a separate bowl from fresh foods. Separate bowls will help keep pellets and seeds from getting damp.
- Your bird's feeding area should be in her cage.
- Keep bowls and food holders clean at all times to prevent bacterial growth.
- Birds soil water very quickly, so change your bird's water often - two or three times a day. Water may be kept in a bowl. Bottles offer advantages for hygiene, but birds often refuse to drink water from anything other than a bowl.
- Treats (bird treats, cheese, yogurt, etc.) are great for your relationship with your bird, but treats should never exceed 10% of her daily intake.
Vitamins and Minerals
Theoretically, a balanced diet (pellets or seeds, vegetables and fruit) should fill all your bird's daily nutrient requirements. Little is known, however, about what constitutes good nutrition for birds. Many breeders and bird keepers opt to feed supplements to their birds to ensure their pets are getting enough nutrients for proper health.