Pet Bird Care: Diet and Nutrition

Topics: avian diet, bird diet, avian nutrition, bird nutrition, parrot diet, bird diet, pelleted diets for birds, pellet conversion, converting a bird's diet - do a Google search on any of these topics to find current articles online.

Web sites with links to numerous articles:

• avianeducationandresourcecenter.org - Articles on avian nutrition, food safety, converting your parrot to pellets, vegetable eating tips, and foraging.
• birdsnways.com - Articles on diet, nutritional needs and foods.
• drsfostersmith.com - Articles & food comparisons.
• naturalbird.com - Articles on avian nutrition and holistic health by Dr. Alicia McWatters, author of A Guide to a Naturally and Healthy Bird.

Select online articles:

• Blanchard, Sally. "A Healthy Parrot Diet," companionparrotonline.com.
• McWatters, Alicia. "The Mash Diet: Learn to make this nutritious blend of foods in your own kitchen," Bird Talk, 15 (Mar. 1997): 122-127, (read online: naturalbird.com).
• Nutrition for Birds - articles & food comparisons, drsfostersmith.com.
• Poole, David. "Safe and Unsafe Foods For Birds," Petcraft (1996).
• Schwab, Susan. "Nutrition: Foundation for a Healthy Bird," HotSpot for Birds.
• Wilson, Liz. "Is Your Parrot Really Eating a Good Diet," upatsix.com.
• Wissman, Margaret. "The Importance of Avian Nutrition," exoticpetvet.net.
• Wissman, Margaret. "20 Things You Must Know About Nutrition," Bird Talk, 17 (Aug. 1999): 62-77 read online: exoticpetvet.net).

For further reading, here are articles from various bird publications that you might be able to find at your local library. If none of these publications are available in your library, most libraries have an interlibrary loan service (may be a fee involved). Merely provide them with one or more of these citations.

• Armstrong, D. Stewart. "Diet and Nutrition" in The Bird Care Handbook & Resource Guide, 1st ed., Monterey, CA: Seacoast Publishing (1997): 12-13.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Parrot Psychology: Proper Nutrition and Eating Behaviors," Bird Talk, 15 (March 1997): 116-119 (mentions grey cheeks).
• Chamberlain, Susan. "Cage 'n' Cookin': Success with Fruits and Vegetables," Bird Talk, 19 (Jan. 2001): 68-71.
• Chamberlain, Susan. "Nutrition Dos and Donts," Birds USA, 2002/03: 78-83.
• Clipsham, Robert. "Fight Malnutrition With Table Foods," Bird Talk, 16 (April 1998): 98-107.
• Davis, Chris. "Do or Diet," Bird Talk, 20 (Mar. 2002): 38-47.
• Davis, Chris. "Foiling the Finicky Eater," Bird Talk, 13 (Aug. 1995): 46-54.
• Henzler, David J. "Avian Nutrition," Bird Talk, 10 (Jan. 1992): 36-40.
• Kauffman, Melissa L. "Your Bird's Nutritional World," Birds USA, (1998/99): 72-77.
• McWatters, Alicia. "7-Day Diet," Bird Talk, 18 (Feb. 2000): 23-33.
• McWatters, Alicia. "Stress Relief Through Dietary Support, Part I," BirdBreeder On-line (Nov. 1997) and "Stress Relief Through Dietary Support, Part II" (Dec. 1997).
• Nash, Holly. "Switching from a Seed-based Diet to a Pelleted Diet," peteducation.com
• Rind, Sherry. "Basic Avian Dietary Guidelines," Bird Breeder, 67 (Jan. 1995): 18-20.
• Sondel, Nancy. "Hooking Your Hookbill on Pellets," Bird Talk, 14 (May 1996): 34-40.
• Walz, Patricia. "Nutrition ABC, 123...," Bird Talk, 14 (May 1996): 42.
• Wissman, Margaret. "Basic Nutrition," Birds USA, (1997/98): 96-101.