Guide to bird nutrition

Birds need more than just seed!

Diets of seed alone can lead to fatty liver disease, atherosclerosis, obesity, and early death of birds.

Bird nutrition is a constantly evolving field, with avian vets and scientists studying the unique requirements of our feathered friends.

This advice is not to replace that of a veterinary professional - if you are concerned, please contact an avian vet for a personalised consultation.

That being said, here are some foods our birds love! We finely dice all ingredients in a food processor and mix it all together, to be served for breakfast each morning. We source locally grown fresh produce where possible, so our breakfast blends vary according to seasonal availability. Bonus: this helps replicate wild conditions, as many plants do not sprout year round!

NEVER feed your birds avocado, rhubarb, onion, or mushrooms - these are toxic and can be fatal to birds.

If your bird accidentally consumes any of these, contact your nearest vet clinic IMMEDIATELY

Our birds' diets consist of approximately 30% dried seed, 30% cooked grains/formulated bird pellets, and 40% vegetables and fruits. However each species of bird has evolved to have different nutritional requirements, so this can vary slightly.

There are lots of ways to introduce birds to fresh produce if they are initially picky. You may need to try a few strategies until you find what works for your bird, but don't give up! Here are some tips we sometimes use:

• Hang up large chunks of veggies like carrots for your bird to shred as a tasty toy

• Sprout your seed mix instead of serving it plain - the sprouting process unlocks lots of nutrients

• Finely dice veggies until they are tiny pieces, the same size as seeds

• Mix some dried seed into the diced veggies to entice your bird

• Remove seed containers and only offer vegetables for the first 30-60 minutes each morning (do not wait any longer than this initially - stubborn or scared birds may otherwise starve themselves)

• Place leafy greens into a water dish to encourage your bird to bathe with them

• Wet leafy greens under a tap and have your bird lick the water droplets off

• For tame birds, model eating vegetables in front of your bird - they'll want what their flock (you!) is having