Where Do Parrots Get Their Food?

The parrot family is large and diverse, consisting of over 300 species spread across five continents. Unsurprisingly, the dietary habits of wild parrots vary tremendously. Some species eat dozens or even hundreds of different foods, whereas others--known as specialized feeders--subsist entirely on one source of food. Regarding diet, the only thing that parrots truly have in common is that the bulk of their food comes from plant sources.

Types

Parrots may be classified based on their dietary habits as generalized or specialized feeders. Most parrots are generalized feeders and eat a variety of foodstuffs depending on what is available. A typical wild parrot's diet consists of a combination of leaves, berries, fruits, nuts, flowers and seeds. In some cases, this is supplemented with animal protein, especially during breeding season. Specialized feeders rely on a specific source of food or a specific type of food in the wild. Lories have an unusual brush-like tongue used to collect pollen and nectar, which makes up their entire diet. Hyacinth macaws eat only the nuts of the queen palm tree, and therefore have a tremendously strong beak used to open the hard and fibrous shells.

Geography

Contrary to popular belief, parrots are not strictly tropical rainforest birds. Although a selection of species do live in the rainforests of Central and South America, just as many parrots live in dry scrublands and savannahs. A few species live in even more unusual areas. Keas, for example, inhabit the snowy mountains of New Zealand. The availability and type of food sources is every bit as diverse as the environments parrots live in. Those species that live in relatively harsh climates with little vegetation tend to be opportunistic feeders, and eat whatever suitable food is available. On the other hand, birds of the rainforest can afford to be more selective about what foods they eat; the most specialized feeders are usually found in areas with abundant flora.

Significance

Several species of parrots have been responsible for crop damage and are often viewed as pests. Galah, or rose-breasted, cockatoos descend in great flocks on the fields of Australia, where they can destroy entire crops in a matter of hours. In Indonesia, Eclectus parrots are considered major pests because of the damage inflicted on corn fields. Without a doubt, the most unusual example of parrots causing problems for farmers takes place in New Zealand. Groups of kea parrots attack sheep in the night, biting them and drinking their blood. These birds often return to the same animal night after night, until it finally succumbs to its wounds.

Misconceptions

Many people believe that a pet parrot should be fed a diet of bird seed. However, captive parrots require a diet as diverse as that of their wild counterparts. A well-fed parrot typically consumes a combination of foods including pellets, seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and cooked foods. This diet is usually adjusted to reflect the needs of the particular species, when that information is available. Although bags of low quality seed are often marketed as inexpensive "nutritionally complete" diets for parrots; they are by no means suitable as more than a small part of a captive parrot's diet.

Expert Insight

Many types of birds, particularly those who eat fruit and berries, encourage the growth of new plants by spreading seeds. These birds swallow wholes seeds while eating fruit; the seeds then pass through the bird's digestive system unharmed. Parrots, however, are plant predators. They do not swallow whole seeds; instead, they crack open the hull of the seed and consume the contents. Many species of parrots have adapted in ways that allow them to eat the seeds of plants that have strong defenses against predation. The powerful beak of the Hyacinth macaw allows it to break open nuts that are nearly impossible for humans to open with tools. Most parrots, particular those who inhabit the rainforest of the Amazon, appear to be unaffected by eating the seeds and fruits of plants that are highly toxic to other species. Cactus conures not only manage to avoid injury when feeding on the fruits and flowers of cactus plants, but nest in cavities they chew in the cactus itself.

Resources

• The Lexicon of Parrots