To be healthy and happy, birds need the right diet; matching captive bird diets to their wild counterparts is one way to get this right, though not always practical. This handout aims to provide a general guide on feeding flighted pet bird species 
 
Recommendations 
Freshwater (from mains water), should be on offer at all times, in a clean water bowl which is appropriate and accessible to the size of the bird. Bowls should be big enough to enable a bird to frolic and bathe in it at times. Ensure it is suitably positioned, such that birds cannot deposit droppings into the water bowl.  

 
High quality formulated diet (pellets or nectar mixes). 

• These are typically low in fat and high in vitamins. 

• Some suitable brands include Vetafarm (maintenance diet or nutriblend), Harrisons and Tropican. There are many available in the ranges of each of these brands so be sure to get the one most suited to your bird species. 

• pellets should be up to 50% of a birds total diet (with some variation depending on species).

 
A range of fresh vegetables (and a small amount of fruit). 

The more variety that can be provided each day the better. 

Some veggie ideas include; 

• Broccoli leaves/flowers 

• Asian greens 

• Spinach 

• Endive 

• Chicory 

• Chillies (there are no heat sensors in a birds’ gastrointestinal tract so these are sweet, not hot, to them) 

• Sprouted lentils  

• Pumpkin (including the seeds) 

• Beetroot 

• Corn and carrot are suitable but should be only fed in small portions - being energy dense, the excess energy will easily turn to fat. 

 

Some fruit ideas include; 

• Paw paw/papaya 

• Passionfruit 

• Pomegranate 

• Most of the melon family (watermelon, canteloupe, honeydew, etc) 

• Berries 

• Limit the amount of apple and pear - these are more energy dense and lower in nutrients (such as vitamin A)  

Essentially, most fruits and vegetables we eat are safe.

Dried fruits and vegetables are not considered equivalent to fresh and are not recommended.

Toxic fresh produce includes avocado, plants from the onion family and rhubarb which should NEVER be fed. 

 
Fresh browse – picked from your garden or an area where wild birds don’t frequent and that have not been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides 

• Fresh grasses and native Australian plants are generally welcomed by most birds 

• Milk thistle 

• These plants supplement their diet and provide enrichment and entertainment for your bird 

 
Some Species Specifics 

• Australian parrots enjoy a small amount of dry seed daily. As a rough guide, budgies and cockatiels should have approximately 1 teaspoon of a high quality dry seed in their daily diet; a high quality dry seed is one whereby the packing is free of moths or dust and that will sprout or geminate.  

• In the wild Eclectus parrots eat mostly vegetables and some fruit – this means their natural diet is very high in vitamin A. Captive Eclectus should have 80% fresh vegetables and fruits, with the remaining diet being topped up with a high quality, low fat pellet such as Vetafarm Maintenance Diet. The pellet ration should not exceed ¼ cup of pellets per bird per day.  

• Lorikeets and Lories are nectar feeders with amazing brushes on their tongues! Provide a high quality lorikeet formula (brands include Passwells, Wombaroo and Vetafarm) that can be fed either wet or dry. The more fresh foods (veggies and fruits) on offer, the better! DO NOT feed seeds.  

• Small passerines, like finch and canaries, do like to shred green leafy vegetables. Offering these every day provides them with nutrition and enrichment.