An imbalanced or incomplete diet is one of the primary causes of illness among pet birds, despite limited scientific study on it.1 While our knowledge regarding avian nutrition remains limited at best, most experts concur that an appropriate diet for parrots usually starts with a formulated diet with additional foods added as supplements.
Seed-only diets tend to be deficient in key nutrients like Vitamin A and Calcium while being too high in fat content for most pet birds, particularly parrots and parakeets. Seed should not be disregarded from an avian’s diet entirely, however many birds tend to favor seed over healthier alternatives and can become fussy about trying different diets. Some birds choose their favorites from a seed mix, further diminishing nutritional balance in their diets. Think of seeds like junk food; birds enjoy them but are not the healthiest choice. Seeds should be restricted or eliminated altogether from your bird’s diet for most species of parrot. Seed-rich diets increase the risk of high cholesterol, heart problems, obesity and fatty liver disease in birds.2 Some species like budgies and cockatiels can tolerate higher percentages of seeds in their diet; however, even for these birds seeds should only make up approximately 25%.
Formulated Diets
A number of years ago, as companies saw that many parrots were suffering from nutritional deficiencies, they began producing pelleted diets for pet birds. These food pellets are produced using grains, seeds, vegetables and fruit that have been fortified with vitamins and minerals before being baked into pellet or extruded shapes for consumption. Feeding birds formulated diets helps ensure a well-rounded nutritional experience and prevent them from selecting only their favorite items and leaving out others. Unfortunately, many birds starting on seed-based diets do not readily accept transitioning to one with this consistency. Formulated diets may provide sufficient nutrition, but may lack the variety and stimulation that many pet birds desire in their daily diet (after all, eating the same thing over and over would become dull for anyone!). Therefore, pelleted food should make up 50-75% of what the bird eats with 25-50% being fresh vegetables while fruit should make up 5-7%3.3
Harrison’s, Zupreem, Kaytee, Pretty Bird, and Roudybush are some of the top brands for formulated diets for bird species. As these diets gain acceptance and popularity among consumers, manufacturers are producing lines tailored specifically for specific species as well as health management (e.g. lower calorie diets for weight management). As mentioned previously, these diets come in various shapes such as larger chunks or crumbles to find which your bird prefers – you may have to experiment until you find out which type they prefer most – Zupreem offers great resources on different strategies on how you can convert seed-based diets over to pellets!
As we gain more understanding of bird nutrition, pet parrot diet recommendations include offering both freshly prepared foods as well as pelleted diet and small percentage of seeds/nuts. Keep in mind that freshly prepared foods should be removed after 2-3 hours in order to prevent spoilage; otherwise they will quickly spoil. If your bird isn’t accepting new foods readily, offering them early morning or late evening may work better as these times are when birds typically forage for food in nature.