Different Birds, Different Diets

hether you have a budgie or an Amazon, it's important to make sure your bird receives the correct diet. Different species - and even birds within the same species - have very different nutritional needs. A correct and balanced diet is essential for your bird to live a full and healthy life. Pet birds are commonly florivores, meaning the main portion of their diet is obtained from plants.

The chart below should help you find the right diet for your bird.

Bird	Dietary Classification	Primary Diet IN THE WILD*
Military Macaw, Blue and Gold Macaw, Red-faced Parrot	Florivore	Seeds, fruits, nuts, bark, roots, berries
Budgerigar, Cockatiel, Hyacinth Macaw, Canary, Zebra Finch	Granivore	Grains, seeds
Blue-throated Macaw, Green-winged Macaw	Frugivore	Mostly fruit and flowers; some nuts and seeds
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Red-tailed Amazon	Omnivore	Seeds, fruits, insects, invertebrates
Lorikeet	Nectarivore	Nectar, pollen; some insects and seeds

* These are not necessarily the recommended diets in captivity.

You can give your bird the diet he needs by many means. Drs. Foster & Smith Premium Blends are species specific, or you can mix your own from our Basic Seeds. Formulated diets, whether pellets, nuggets, egg food, or crumbles, are also a convenient option for you and proper nutrition for your bird.

An unbalanced diet of only fatty seed is the main cause of disease and early death in pet birds. That's why it's so important to not only make sure he has plenty of fruits and vegetables, but that his main diet, whether it be pellets, nuggets, or other food, is right for his species.