PET BIRDS NUTRITION

FEEDING MANAGEMENT

• Most bird diets consist of seeds, except for the fruit and nectar-consuming birds.
• Seeds consumed by the birds are of two types; cereal seeds and oil seeds.
• Cereal seeds contain a higher proportion of carbohydrates compared with oil;
examples of cereal seeds are canary seed, millet, corn, and dehusked oat kernels.
• Oil seeds are high in fat and low in carbohydrates; examples of oil seeds are
sunflower seeds, peanuts, safflower, pine nuts, rape, maw, niger, and linseed.
• Both cereal and oil seeds can be purchased separately and mixed together to provide
variety.
• The seed must be clean and free of dust and dirt.
• The seed should also be dry and free of moulds; both shelled and unshelled peanuts
should be examined for mould, Peanuts are attacked by a mould that produces strong
toxins that can cause liver damage; fed over a period of time, they can cause the death
of a bird.

SOAKED SEED FEEDING

• Soaked seeds may be fed to young birds that are having trouble in breaking hard
seeds, and to birds during breeding and moulting seasons.
• The seeds should be soaked in warm water for about 24 hours; this will stimulate the
germination of the seeds.
• The chemical changes in the seeds during germination increase the protein content.
• When feeding soaked seeds, it is important that the water be poured off and that the
seeds be washed thoroughly with tap water.
• Soaked seeds provide an ideal medium for the growth of moulds and fungi; birds must
not be allowed to consume seeds that have a mould and fungi on them.
• Any seeds not consumed by the birds in a few hours should be removed and thrown
away.
• The container that the seeds were in should be washed thoroughly before feeding
more soaked seeds.
 GREEN LEAVE FEEDING

• Birds can also be fed green plant materials.

• Chick–weed, dandelion leaves, carrot tops, kale, and spinach are good choices that
can be fed.
• Care must be taken not to feed too much green plant material because it may cause
diarrhoea; this is especially true if the bird is not used to green plant material.
• Green material must be thoroughly washed to remove any residue of pesticides or
other chemicals.
• If green foods are taken directly from the refrigerator, they should be allowed to warm
to room temperature before being offered.

GRIT FEEDING

• Birds cannot grind up their food. They can break the seeds open with their beaks, but
the actual grinding of the food takes place in the proventriculus.
• This is accomplished with the aid of grit that must be supplied in their diet.
• Grit is available in two forms, soluble and insoluble.
• The soluble form is usually oyster shell that breaks down and serves as a source of
minerals.
• The insoluble form is usually crushed granite, the insoluble grit provides the primary
base for which the food material is rubbed and worked against to grind the food up.
• Grit should be available to the birds at all times.
• Cuttlefish bone should be provided as a source of calcium; cuttlefish are marine
mollusks.
• Female birds need a supply of calcium for the making of egg shells.
• Some small birds may have trouble in breaking or chewing off pieces of the cuttlefish
bone; pieces may have to be cut or shaved off for them.

FEEDING OF CAGE BIRDS

• Based on the feeding behaviour cage birds can be differentiated into various
categories.
• Munias, Parakeets and Budgerigar are seed eaters or hard bills.
• Mynah is insect eater or soft bill.
• Koels, Pegions and doves fall into two classes seed eater and fruit eaters.
• Generally insect eater requires more care in feeding where as seed eaters are easily
fed.
• In addition to seeds like cowpea, peanut, Bengal gram; grains like rice, maize, millet
and wheat; vegetables, greens and mashes; minerals and vitamins should also be
provided.
• Soaked seeds are better than un soaked seeds.
• Cuttle fish bone and shell grit should also be available to seed eating birds. Grit
enables a seed eater to digest its food properly.
• Although birds lack teeth they still require a grinding surface to break up its hard seed
and make it accessible to digestive enzymes.
• Shell grit is broken down in the digestive tract and provides additional source of
minerals to the birds.
 FEEDING OF HAND REARED BIRDS

• Hand-reared birds are in great demand because they are usually tamer and more easily
handled.
• Birds that are hand-reared need to be provided a brooder or heating pad so that the
birds can be kept warm.
• A spoon bent up on the sides makes an ideal tool for hand-feeding young birds.
• Hand-feeding is very time consuming; newly hatched birds need to be fed every 3 or
4 hours.
• Feeding is required from early morning to late evening.
• Foods commonly used are dry baby cereals, fruits, and canned baby food.
• These foods are mixed with water in a blender and then heated; the food must be
warm and fairly runny.
• Supplements such as calcium and vitamins can be added.
• As the birds get older, they can be gradually weaned from the liquid diet to seeds.

FEEDING OF ORPHAN BIRDS

• Young birds are of two types

o Nidicolous chicks (Altricial birds),
o Nidifugous chicks (precocial)
• Nidicolous chicks (Altricial birds), which hatch at an early stage of development and
are generally blind, helpless and more or less naked (nestling)
• The second type Nidifugous chicks (precocial) have longer incubation period and they
leave the shell clad in down feathers and have the ability to run about and pick up
food for themselves.
• The young ones of the above mentioned birds belong to the first type requires much
care.
• For small birds the best feeder is thin tipped spatulate wooden stick or (match stick).
This helps to push back the food on bird's tongue.
• It is important not to fill the mouth with food, as this may block the wind pipe and
cause suffocation.
• Young nestling require frequent feeding in every 20-30 minutes.
• It is generally safe to continue feeding until the bird ceases to gape.
• The feed may be (depending upon the type of species) boiled mashed egg, biscuit
meal, insects, larvae, minced earth worm, bread soaked in milk etc.
• The bread should be thoroughly soaked but not dripping milk as the milk could enter
the trachea and cause aspiration.
• Banana and other soft fruits can also be given.
• It is a good policy to do feeding, watering and cleaning at the same time each day, if
possible by the same person.
• Birds quickly become accustomed to such routine and may became disturbed if these
operations are performed at unpredictable time.
• One should always remember to move slowly and deliberately around birds and not
make sudden loud sounds as birds are very easily frightened by unaccustomed
movements or sounds.
 THE PASSERINE GROUP

• The passerine group of birds are born in a warm nest, either naked or with a covering
of down, they should be housed in their own nest or replica of it with a thick pad of
cotton covering them.
• If possible two or more nestling should be kept together. When the pad is removed the
nestling gape reflexively for food.
• After feeding, they usually elevate their cloacal regions to the edge of the nest to
defecate; the dropping is contained in a thin membrane and should be removed with a
teaspoon.
• Young birds grow quickly. Chicks are fed until they stop gaping.
• As growth occurs, feeding intervals are lengthened and large food items given.
• Once young bird begin to eat without aid, they can be introduced to water.
• A large stone placed in a shallow dish of water gives the birds some security, prevents
spillage and enables them to bathe.
• Dried egg based food with cereal and dried insect added food can be given.
• It is important to add as much live insect food as possible.
• Hard-boiled egg and or scraped raw liver in small quantities can be given if no dried
food is available.
• When the birds grow older, the diet should be more closely approximate the adult diet
(e.g. more cereal for seed-eating birds)
 PARROTS AND PIGEONS

• Parrots and pigeons initially feed their naked young on a regurgitated crop secretion.
• It is possible to rear chick from a tender age by imitating the parents, using a small
syringe containing a quantity of milk-based baby food.
• Young birds should be placed in a small cardboard box and bedded on wood shaving
within a cage kept at about 90 ° F for the first 4 or 5 days.
• The amount of food to give varies with the species.
• Generally 1 ml will do for a bird of pigeon size, offered every 3 hours during the day.
• The degree of crop distension indicates the amount of food required.
• Care should be taken, as overfilling of crop can lead to disease.

COMMON DIET FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF PET BIRDS

Seed eaters

• Largest and most popular cage and aviary birds are seed eaters.
• These birds live mainly on seeds, but also eat fruit, insects, egg food and green food.
• Fruit and green food contain a lot of important nutrient, but too much of these will
give rise to problem such as diarrhea.
• Green feed is good during breeding season.
• During breeding season, seed eaters should be introduced with insects and worms so
that they will recognize the feed and feed their young with insects and worms.
• Egg food, is an important dietary supplement for most seed eaters.
• This food has proven to be very valuable especially in the period leading up the
breeding time as well as during and after the breeding time too.
• The bird’s main diet should consist of its seed mix supplemented with some green
food, insects, and egg food to avoid deficiency.

Fruit, vegetable, berries and weeds

• Most birds eat some form of green food. For some them it is an essential ingredient
of their diet and for others it is a supplement.
• The main problem with this is contamination with dust, fumes and pesticides.
• Example of suitable fruits and vegetables are apple, pears, bananas, grapes, orange
segments, mandarins, papays, dates, apricots, pineapples, carrots, tomatoes, corncobs.
• Never feed the birds avocados as these are poisonous for a lot of birds. Black berries,
raspberries, rose hips and fire thorn berries and also suitable to feed them.
Insects and worms

• Not all live food is suitable for all the insect eating species of birds.
• The weaker species of insects are more suitable for small and younger birds.
• Example of suitable insects and other animal proteins for aviary birds are : crickets,
grasshoppers, bugs, spiders, meal worms, buffalo worms, maggots, fruit flies, aphids,
Nealy bugs, earthworms, mosquito larvae, water fleas.

DIET FOR FINCHES AND CANARIES

White millet 2 part

Red millet 1 part
Canary seed 2 part
Oat groats 1 part
Rape or thistle seed 1 part

• A good mineralized grit should always be available and cuttlebone is desirable.

• May finches required animal protein in their diets, especially when feeding young.
• Finches enjoy green seeding grasses, such as winter grass, chickweed and most other
types found in the garden.

PARROTS AND COCKATOOS

Most are basically seed eaters, but one group, the lories and lorikeets feed predominately on
nectar, pollen and fruit.
FOR SMALL PARROTS

For small parrots (Budgerigar or Red rumped parrots)

White millet 1 part

Canary seed 2 part
Red or yellow millet 1 part
Oats groats 1 part
Wheat 1 part
Mineralized grit and shell grit, cuttlebone when available

FOR MEDIUM PARROT

White millet 1 part

Canary seed 1 part
Oats groats 1 part
Wheat 1 part
Sunflower seed 1 part
Milo 1 part

• Green food, fruit (apple, pear, orange and whole meal bread)
• Mineralized grit and shell grit, cuttlebone when available
• Many birds enjoy chewing on the leaves and bark of native trees.
• Branches placed in the cage proved bird with something to do and may add mineral to
their diet.

FOR LARGER PARROTS

For larger parrots (cockatoos, macaws and African gray parrot)

Sunflower seed 1 part

Wheat 2 part
Milo 1 part
Oat groats 1 part
Whole or cooked corn 1 part
Peanut (raw) 1 part
Mineralized grit and shell grit
 • It is essential that these species have a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, bread and
green branches of non-poinsous tree.
• Feather problem are common in larger parrots, as they are prone to boredom; this
situation can be partially alleviated by something to chew on.

FOR LORIES AND LORIKEETS

• Lories and lorikeets feed on nectar and pollen

• Nectar foods are usually powders that need to be mixed with water and provided to
the birds in special feeders.
• Lories and lorikeets also eat fruit.

1 cup dry baby food cereal

1 cup warm water
2 table spoon condensed milk
2 table spoon honey, raw sugar or glucose
6 drops liquid vitamins for babies

• The food should be changed twice daily.

• In a separate pan offer mixed fruit, apple, pear, grapes, papaya, soaked raisins, tomato
etc.
• Seed should be available (medium parrot mix).
• These species also like to chew on bark, leaves and blossoms of most of the trees.

FOR BABY COCKATOOS AND BABY PARROTS

o ½ cup baby food cereal

o 1/8 teaspoon salt
o ½ teaspoon fine cuttle fish bone meal
o 1 teaspoon corn syrup or honey
o 2 fresh egg yolks
o Milk or water
o 4 drops vitamins supplement
• Mix the dry ingredients; add the syrup and eg yolk and then the milk or water to make
a soup like mixture.
• Boil over low heat 3-5 minutes, stirring gently.
• Cool until finger warm. Stir in the vitamin supplement. Feed the mixture with a
spoon.
 • The baby birds should be fed three to six times daily.
• The crop is usually visible as semitransparent bag at the base of the neck so it is
possible to determine the amount of food left format he last feeding.

PIGEONS AND DOVES

• Some species of rain forest pigeons feed on fruit and must be given an appropriate
diet.
• The Major of the species are seed eaters. They require variety of seeds of appropriate
size and a good mineralized grit.
• Grit is especially important, because pigeons swallow their food whole and grind it in
the gizzard.

For small pigeon and doves

White millet 1 part

Canary seed 1 part
Wheat 1 part
Milo 1 part
Yellow millet 1 part
Oat groats 1 part
Mineralized grit and shell grit

For large breeds

Wheat 2 part
Milo 2 part
Pigeon peas 1 part
Whole corn 1 part
White millet 1 part
Mineralized grit and shell grit
FEEDING OF MYNAH

• Mynah birds will not eat seeds and do not need grit or cuttlefish in their diet.
• Mynah birds are fed special softbill pellets
• Mynah birds also need fruit in their diet, apple slices, grapes, orange slices, and
banana slices are the most common.
• Dried fruits can also be used, provided they are soaked and rinsed off before feeding.
• Mynah birds also like live food such as meal worms.
• Mynahs, particularly when they are breeding, like live food, like flies, spiders, moths,
snails, butter flies, crickets Beatles, etc., added to their diet.
• Instead of live food we can use a combination in which 3 of the ration should be
minced raw lean meat, the balance being composed of equal parts of soft food, poultry
crumbs, and fine puppy meal which have been soaked with hot water until soft.
• We can also provide hard boiled egg made into mash. Also add sweet ripe fruits in the
diet.

Special Aspects of Feeding Avian Pets

Birds are important for mankind in many ways. Certain birds like chickens, ducks,
geese, turkey, and quails etc. have been used for decoration, clothing and warmth.. Feathers
have long been used for decoration, clothing and warmth. Pigeons have been used to carry
message and lightweight supplies. The droppings of birds are used as fertilizer. Certain
insectivorous birds protect plant from insects. Certain birds prey rat and save foods. They
form a major component of ecosystem and vitally important to all forms of life. However,
they may spread diseases and consume significant quantity of agricultural commodity.
 The digestive tracts of pet birds are relatively shorter than in chicken because of their
flying ability. Moreover, because of their lively temperament and metabolic rate, they require
a larger quantity of feed in proportion to their body weight. Many birds are vegetarian and
feeding on seeds, fruits, birds, leaves, nectar and sap, and some may also take insects.
Flamingo and certain ducks eat on minute water life. Hawks and owls capture large animal
and birds.
The homing ability of pigeons has always been a fascinating puzzle for scientists
trying to discover the physiological basis of this behavior. The sparrow is easy to tame and
one of the best studied songbirds in the world. The large parrots, by virtue of their colour,
size, monogamy, longevity, and ability to mimic sounds, are more popular. In India the major
pet birds are Parrots or parakeets, varieties of finches, pigeons, munia, manya, sparrow, babul
etc. are also reared as pet.

Feeding behavior of pets birds.

There is a wide variation in food choice amongst pet birds. The majority of avian pets
are seedeaters. The type and amount of feed consumed vary with age, season, time of a day,
reproductive status, availability, palatability, etc. Several methods are used to study the food
habits.
Feed habits of certain avian pets
Name Feeds consumed
Parrots Ripped fruits, jowar, maize, gram, red chilli, nuts, sunflower
Bulbule Mosquitoes, insects
Mayna Shoots, seeds, jungle Aanjir, insects
Pigeon/dove Cereal grains, pulses, ground nut, mustard, fruits, berries, grass,
grains, leaves, insects, worms
Sparrow Omnivorous: cereals, insects, buds of flowers, nectar, garbage
Swan Crustacean, worms, insects, green leaves, seeds, wheat, gram
Quials Grass seeds, cereals, insects, termites,
Falcon/Baj Pigeons, reptiles, small birds, dragon fly
Peacock Cereals, small shrubs, insects, reptiles, snakes
Jungle fowl, Aseel Cereals, branches of small trees, reptiles, insects, worms
Principles of feeding and nutrition
Poultry birds are fed in excess because in addition to maintenance, nutrients are also
supplied for production of meat or eggs. The type and amount of feed given will vary with
age, season, housing management, reproductive status and physiological state. Under
commercial production system or using pet birds in research, they need balanced feeding.
Energy and protein
Starch and sugars supplied by seeds, nuts, fruits, nectar etc. are used mainly as source
of energy. The microbial fermentation is limited in the caecum and colon but about 10% fibre
is fermented to produce volatile fatty acids, which are utilized. Proteins are required for the
formation and maintenance of body tissues. Generally total protein concentration in different
seeds varies from 10 to 25% and as birds eat various seeds as well as insects it is obvious that
their essential amino acids requirements are met. In carnivorous animals proteins are major
components in diet. Sufficient linoleic acid (1%) meets the requirements of all EFA. A
minimum of 3% dietary oil fat is recommended to meet the requirements of EFA.
Nutrient requirements and feeding
• ME requirement of 100g bird is 25 kcal.
• The energy requirement for egg production is 3.26 to 3.28 kcal/g of egg mass.
• Diets with 18% CP and 20-23% CP can meet the requirements of pigeons, fowls,
parrots and other pet birds.
• Calcium
• Shell grit
• Phosphorous
• Water