Bird bored with pellets? Sick of seed? Punch up his diet with these home-cooked treats.
Text and photos by Carla Thornton
 | | Mike's Manna Mash, a parrot meal you can make yourself, is full of common pantry ingredients birds will like. |
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IF HE WERE living wild in Australia, your cockatiel would be eating casuaina nuts. Your pionus might have pico pico berries or seed pods from an Inga tree for lunch. And your macaw would be munching on the leaves and bark of the Costa Rican gallinazo.
In the wild, parrots feast on a banquet of plants, seeds, fruits and small insects. In captivity, we can't duplicate those foods, and pellets, the kibble of bird food, are boring.
The all-natural diet
Many experts believe that the best way to feed a parrot is to let him nosh on a wide variety of healthy human foods. By tempting them with a range of vegetables, fruits and grains, we can provide our birds with close to the same nutrients they would consume in the wild, without relying on processed pellets or supplementary vitamins.
Exceptions to this rule include lories and lorikeets, nectar-eating parrots that require a special liquid diet. And there are some seemingly ordinary people foods you should never feed your bird, such as avocado. (For further details, see ParrotChronicles.com's FAQs).
So how do you go about upgrading your parrot's diet? You can toss a broccoli spear or noodle into his food dish off your own plate whenever you think about it. You can buy prepackaged, heat-and-serve meals for birds, which are convenient but pricey. Or you can make your own food.
Recipe roundup
With the latter in mind, we asked some experienced parrot-food chefs to share their favorite recipes with us. Following are almost two dozen breads, mashes and salads geared for the feathered set.
These are easy dishes to make. Many require little more than dicing, mixing and freezing. Some of the baked items are tempting enough to sample yourself. Others are flock-size mashes that will feed a bird for weeks. All are nice time savers that spare you the trouble of hand-cutting or cooking food for your bird every day.
A few caveats: If you intend to continue feeding your bird pellets, omit any vitamins called for in these recipes to avoid overdosing. You might also want to use non- or low-lactose products for any dairy that's called for, as lactose might bother some birds.
Scrub all fresh vegetables to remove pesticides. And if you heat portions of a dish before serving, be careful not to make the food too hot for your bird to eat.
So roll up your sleeves and prepare to whip up some beak-smacking fare. Before you know it, you'll be the Julia Child of psittacine cuisine. And who knows? Your bird might like it as much as tree bark.
3 eggs
2/3 cup of milk
2 boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 jar sweet potatoes or carrots baby food
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup pellets
Optional: 1/2 cup seed
Mix all ingredients in large bowl; bake in muffin tins or cake pans at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes. Can be frozen.
Courtesy of Clyde Keeney and the American Cockatiel Society.
2/3 cups oatmeal (not instant)
1 banana, sliced or mashed
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/3 cups water
Bring water to a boil, add all ingredients, and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover and let stand until cool.
Courtesy of the American Cockatiel Society
1 1/2 cups mixed beans
1/2 cup split peas
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup cracked corn
1/2 cup dried peppers
Soak beans overnight in water, drain and rinse. Cover with water again, turn on heat and boil for 2 minutes. Let stand and cool for 1 hour. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until water is absorbed, or about 1 hour. Cool and keep refrigerated or freeze in baggies.
Courtesy of the American Cockatiel Society
2 eggs
1 jar sweet potato baby food
1/4 milk
bread slices
Mix all ingredients except bread. Dip bread in mixture and pan fry until golden brown. They love it!
Frank Dillin, fdillin@aol.com
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Birdwise Baked Macaroni with Tofu
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1 cup small macaroni shells or elbows, preferably whole wheat
1/4 cup cracked corn
1 egg
1 jar Gerber vegetable chicken dinner #3 large
1/4 cup steamed and crushed broccoli
1 large carrot (grated large if your bird likes carrots, small if he doesn't)
1/8 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup mashed tofu (Mari Nu Firm Silken)
Optional:
1/8 cup grated low-fat, low- (or non-) lactose cheese
Shell from the egg, crushed, or 1 tablespoon grated cuttlebone if bird is larger than a cockatiel)
Toasted sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover macaroni and corn with water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until al dente (semi firm). Drain and pour in a greased 9" x 4" loaf pan (or similar size). Add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Bake approximately 40 minutes or until consistency is no longer "wet". Sprinkle top with optional sesame seeds.
Cher. Angelo, Byrdwise@aol.com
1 cup ground bird pellets
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup ground almonds
1 tablespoon powdered wheat grass
2 tablespoons powdered eggshells
4 whole eggs, including thoroughly washed and ground shells
1 jar carrots baby food
Unsweetened fruit juice
Combine ingredients, using enough fruit juice to form a firm dough. Roll into balls measuring one-half inch to three-quarter inches in diameter. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack and keep in the refrigerator. Also freezes well. Makes 90 to 100 balls. My umbrella cockatoo and African grey both love these and will do just about anything to get one! I think they're much healthier than many of the bird treats in the pet stores.
Catherine Dobbins, mcat@brella-grey.com
1 whole lettuce leaf
1 cup of dry oatmeal
1 carrot, peeled
Half an apple
5 blueberries
Blend ingredients together until a fine paste. Pound paste into a shape such as a circle or heart and microwave for two minutes. Let cool for two more minutes before serving.
Brittany Adkison, tropictango@hotmail.com
2 cups corn meal
2 cups flour
8 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs, including shells, thoroughly washed and ground
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2 cups apple juice
4 tablespoons peanut butter
2 cups seed
2 cups mixed vegetables
1 can fruit cocktail
Mix and pour in greased 9" x 12" pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Cut in bars, cool and serve.
Misty Kent, byrdhaus@netins.net
1/2 cup whole milk
4 cups corn
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
6 tablespoons peanut oil
Combine ingredients and pour into a greased 8" x 8" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Freeze until ready to use.
Courtesy of the American Cockatiel Society
1 2/3 cup water
1 cup couscous
1 medium tomato
1 small onion
1/2 green pepper
1/2 sweet red pepper
1/2 cup corn (frozen or fresh off the cob)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Bring water to a boil, stirring in couscous. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to sit for five minutes. While couscous soaks, dice tomatoes, onion, and peppers. Combine with remaining ingredients and saute lightly (adding a little butter, margarine, or olive oil, if neccessary). When couscous has absorbed all water, combine thoroughly with sauteed veggie mixture and serve. Freezes well and may be served hot or cold.
Jessica Roberts, kusine@yahoo.com
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Gertie's Great Griddle Cakes
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1 package Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 egg, including shell, thoroughly washed and ground
leftover bird seed
1 tablespoon hummus
1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
about 1/3 cup milk
Combine ingredients except milk. Add milk until batter reaches desired consistency and pour in 1/8 cup amounts on a hot griddle. Flip cakes when dry around the edges and bubbly on top.
Stephanie Williamson, arwen@full-moon.com
Waffle batter
Apple, grated
Carrot, grated
Broccoli, grated
Mix together, cook, and freeze in single servings for popping in the toaster later. Vary batches with substitute ingredients such as frozen vegetables (peas, corn, carrots) or crumbled pellets. Use your imagination!
Jayne Nelson, birdjayne@aol.com
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Mexican Veggie Corn Muffins
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2 packages Mexican-style cornbread or muffin mix
1 can mixed vegetables, drained
Bake in muffin tins until done. Freeze halves in baggies and thaw in refrigerator for serving every day.
Richelle Porter, PorterSMRA@aol.com
1/2 cup dry black-eyed peas
1/2 cup dry pinto beans
1/2 cup dry kidney beans
1/2 cup dry split peas - a mix of green and yellow
1/2 cup dry garbanzo beans
1/2 cup dry black beans
1/2 cup dry soy beans
1 cup dry great northern white beans
1/2 cup dry wheat berry grain
1/2 cup dry pearl barley grain
1 cup dry wild rice
3 medium sweet potatoes
4 medium white potatoes
3 pounds frozen corn
3 pounds frozen peas
3 pounds frozen carrots
3 pounds frozen green beans
1/2 pound fresh parsley
3 medium zucchini
4 large tomatoes
1/2 pound mustard greens
6 large bananas
6 medium apples
4 peeled oranges
1/2 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 mango, peeled and pitted
2 papayas, peeled but seeds left
1 1/2 pounds green grapes
1/4 cup dried pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup dry powdered kelp
1/4 cup alfalfa powder
Rinse the beans, grains and rice. Soak overnight (at least 8 hours) in a large pot. In the morning add or remove water as needed to cover beans with about one inch of water. Boil beans for 10 minutes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes more. By this time there should just be enough water left to keep beans moist. Scrub, quarter and slice potatoes into 1/8 inch pieces. Steam lightly, stirring every few minutes, and add to cooked beans. Add corn, peas, carrots and green beans to bean and potato mixture. This helps cool the mixture and thaw the frozen vegetables. Hand chop or lightly food process the next 11 ingredients (parsley, zucchini, tomatoes, mustard greens, bananas, apples, oranges, cranberries, mango, papayas and grapes). Don't process too finely; birds prefer chunky food. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Freeze in sandwich bags in daily serving portions. Defrost servings in refrigerator for 24 hours. Warm food by placing the bag in warm water.
Mike Burton
1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 egg, including shell, thoroughly washed and ground
1 carrot
Hunk of sweet potato microwaved 30 sec to tenderize
2 bottles banana baby food
Handful of mustard leaves, washed
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or cinnamon
Blend ingredients thoroughly and bake as Jiffy package directs at 400 degrees in a muffin pan greased with corn oil. For the vegetables in this recipe you can substitute a stalk of broccoli, a handful of washed dandelion greens, and a handful green beans or peas. For the baby food, substitute a piece of banana and 1/3 cup milk or fruit juice. Birds seem to love the slightly green color!
Norma Goldberger, ngoldber@neo.lrun.com
2 cups of cooked organic vegetable (orzo) pasta
2 cups cooked wild/brown rice combo
1 cup wheat germ
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 cup frozen broccoli
1 cup brussel sprouts
Cook pasta and rice, and thaw spinach, corn and broccoli by boiling for a few minutes. Chop broccoli and mash brussel sprouts. Mix ingredients thoroughly and freeze serving portions in baggies.
Courtesy of Michelle Cushman and the American Cockatiel Society.
1 packet instant grits or oatmeal
3/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup raisins or dried fruit
Bring apple juice to a boil and add remaining ingredients. Let cool and the cereal and dried fruit absorb the juice.
Freeze in ice cube trays. Great on cold mornings, especially for weaning babies.
Jamie Hullenbaugh, birdmom@spydee.net
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup split peas
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tablespoon dry powered milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups water
Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until water is absorbed (about 45 minutes). Allow to cool before serving.
Courtesy of the American Cockatiel Society
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Cook rice according to the directions on the box. Cool and add corn and eggs. Mix and serve.
Courtesy of the American Cockatiel Society and the Missouri Cage Bird Association's "Recipes Are For The Birds."
2 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
2 eggs, excluding shells
2/3 cup apple juice with no additives or preservatives
24 oz can of sweet potatoes, rinsed and mashed
1 apple, scrubbed and cut into small chunks
2 bananas
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 heaping cup of Avian Naturals herb mix
1 cup of Beak Appetit food (any flavor, prepared)
Pour into a 9" x 13" pan greased with olive oil. Place on middle rack of 450-degree oven for 45 minutes or when a toothpick comes out clean. Cut into small squares and freeze in baggies. Reheat in microwave for 30 seconds and crumble into food dishes.
Sue Turner, sturner@mediaone.net
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Tooty's Dinnertime Carbo Munchie Delite
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Pasta
Spaghetti
Carrots and broccoli, chopped finely
Frozen vegtables
Fresh fruits, chopped medium fine (apple, banana, grapes)
Garbanzo beans, black beans, or both, frozen or drained canned
Vitamin supplement or Kaytee baby bird handfeeding formula
Optional: chopped nuts, hard-boiled eggs, peppers, baby food
The amount of each ingredient is up to the cook, but I suggest making half pasta and spaghetti and the rest equal portions of the remaining ingredients. Cook pasta and spaghetti and drain. Add carrots, broccoli, frozen vegetables, and beans while the pasta is cooling, then any optional ingredients (chopped nuts, hard-boiled eggs, etc.) Save for last the chopped fruits, baby bird handfeeding formula, and baby food. Mix well, using your hands to break the pasta and sphagetti into smaller pieces. Or, alternately, process the mixture in a blender to make a mash. Roll into 1-inch balls, adding more handfeeding formula if it gets too sticky to handle. Freezes well. Serve one or two balls daily, depending on your bird's size.
Mengyao Aghamohseni, kaghamohse@aol.com
1 cup wheat flour
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
1 banana, mashed
1/2 cup green chilis, drained
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked beans (any type)
1/2 cup winter squash, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin, with or without seeds
Handful of raisins
Handful of cranberries
1 pound frozen mixed vegetables thawed (substitute fresh when available)
Mix dry ingredients and add remaining. Grease and flour 9" x 13"
pan with Crisco and wheat flour. Bake at 400 for 1 hour or until toothpick
comes out clean.
Tracy Bockenhauer, avianrescue@aol.com
4 cups of blue cornmeal
1/4 cup soy oil
1 tablespoon lecithin granules
1 scant tablespoon Nutrex-brand spirulina
2 eggs, including shell, thoroughly washed and ground
1 jar sweet potato baby food
1 jar green beans baby food
1 cup crushed bird pellets (put in a plastic bag and use rolling pin to crush )
1 large carrot
1/2 cup fresh raw broccoli, ground in food processor
1/3 cup mixed nuts (no peanuts) and dry fruit, also food processed
Tu-Ki is a greencheek conure who has no lower mandible. This easy-to-chew recipe helps satisfy her nutritional needs. Mix ingredients well and pour into a large, greased baking dish. Mixture will be lumpy and sticky. If too thick, add a little fruit juice or applesauce. Spread about 3/4" thick and bake 30 minutes or until golden and knife comes out clean when inserted in center. Cut into squares while still hot. Freeze squares in serving portions. Defrost a section overnight in the refrigerator and warm in microwave for 6 seconds. I also give her Tu-Ki soaked Zupreem pellets, chopped vegetables and fruit. I give the bread to my friends' birds and they all love it, too.
Marlena Juniman, marlenaj@prima-soft.com
ParrotChronicles.com. Published 2002.
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