Q: Is fish safe for my bird?
-Sangita T., Pembroke, MA
A: Yes! There is such controversy surrounding fish these days! Can pregnant women eat it?? Should children eat it?? What about mercury??! I wish everyone would just dial it back a bit. Fish is a great food.
Seafood is a great source of protein and is low in fat, unlike many animal proteins. It contains Riboflavin (B2), Omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus and many minerals. These are present in higher amounts than in meats. Eating fish promotes heart health, reduces blood pressure, and promotes brain function, to name a few of the benefits, which far outweigh the risks.
That said, let’s talk about the risks. Mercury is a toxic heavy metal and pretty much all fish are going to contain some level of it. Mercury, is found in our waters both naturally occurring and as a result of industrial pollution (technically a form of mercury called methylmercury). The larger, longer lived, small fish-eaters such as the sharks, some tuna, and swordfish are those found to carry the higher levels.
High mercury levels are accumulated over time. The longer a fish lives, the longer it is around to absorb mercury and the higher their content will be. Mercury found in humans that eat these fish is based on their level of consumption. For those who eat less of it, the risks are negligible.
Offering these fish to our parrots in moderation will not cause them harm, but there are other types of fish which present less concern such as salmon, catfish, cod, pollack and canned tuna (only use water packed tuna). Shellfish such as crab, shrimp, scallops, and clams are also considered to be in the lower mercury group and are safe to enjoy. Fish should be baked, poached, broiled, or steamed without added salt or oil when intended for our parrot’s dining pleasure.
It is important to widely vary your parrot’s diet. If you are doing that, then the frequency with which they receive any type of food is moderated. This raises the probability that we aren’t offering too much of any one particular food. Keep this in mind when you serve fish and you will ensure that the overall diet is healthy, well rounded and safe.
Patty Jourgensen specializes in avian health, behavior and nutrition and has been working with and caring for rescue birds since 1987.
31 comments
I will try the fish with my parrot, he loves his meat.
Can my cockatiel eat fish? Thank you so much,Karen
Hi Annette, No. The pits and seeds from most fruits are bad for birds (many contain traces of arsenic), with the exception of pumpkin and squashes, pomegranates and tomatoes. here’s an article on the subject: http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/the-dangers-of-fruits-seeds-and-pits/. Patty
Hi Lauren, I think most of the pelleted foods are going to run about the same cost. If you aren’t using pellets for that reason, please see that your cockatiels have fresh foods available to them to ensure they are getting the nutrients that they need. Patty
Hi Yoly, Birds don’t molt out all of their feathers. It is far more likely that Coty plucked them in the midst of a nutritional deficiency. Since just seed is not a healthy diet for any bird, please do keep trying to switch her onto a fresh food diet. In the meantime, try a vitamin supplement that is geared towards birds instead of human babies. There will be more of what she needs in those. Google “vitamin supplements for parrots” and you will find a large selection to choose from. You should have gotten a birdie bread recipe with the pellets you ordered. It would be a great idea to try that to get her started onto a pelleted diet. Also, fruits and veggies can be added to the recipe. Because your bird eats bananas, you could try finely chopping veggies like carrots or broccoli and mashing them into the banana. Have you tried sweet potato? You could cook some for her and see if she enjoys that. It’s sweet and is sometimes a good starter veggie for birds. Also, use the search feature on the blog for more diet info. Type in “nutrition” and a lot will come up. Best of luck to you both! Patty
My one-and-a-halve old African Grey, Danny Boy, also loves to munch away on the chicken bones and eating the marrow!
Leave a comment