Foods That Are Toxic to Birds | Guide to 10 Common Options

Birds are considered the most interesting and social creatures, so most pet owners love inviting them to their table during mealtime. With that being said, it’s always enjoyable to share your food with your pet birds. When we talk about feeding birds, not every food is healthy or nutritious; there can be some foods that are toxic to birds.

Some human foods are highly considered fatal to your bird’s health and could disrupt their functioning. Pet lovers and parents must know which food is okay to share or which could result in serious risk. Pet Life Expert’s guide covers foods poisonous to birds to help you keep your feathered friends safe.

List of Top 10 Bird Foods that are Toxic to Birds

While some foods are easily digestible and healthy for humans, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are suitable for birds. So, we’ve compiled a list of 10 things that can kill your bird. Let’s dive into the details of what is poisonous to birds.

1. Chocolate

While humans consider chocolate a wonderful treat, feeding it to your birds can be dangerous. Although some pet parents might not think it serious, chocolate strongly affects the birds’ digestive systems, causing them to suffer from diarrhea and vomiting. If the birds are not stopped from consuming chocolate in a timely manner, it can also harm the central nervous system, leading to sudden seizures and death.

2. Apple Seeds

The seeds of apples and other rose-family fruits like cherries, peaches, apricots, and pears contain small amounts of cyanide. The apple fruit is safe for your bird but remember that the fruit’s skin may contain pesticides and harmful seeds. To safeguard your bird from getting exposed to these chemicals, thoroughly clean and core any apple pieces you give them.

3. Alcohol

There have been cases where free-roaming birds got alcohol poisoning by giving themselves uncontrolled cocktails, even though mindful bird owners would never consider giving their pets alcohol. As with human beings, consuming too much alcohol can be dangerous and counted in foods that are toxic to birds. Alcohol can be fatal to birds and affects the organ systems. Keep your bird safe and restrained to its cage while alcohol is offered in your home.

4. Salt

Undoubtedly, humans love adding enough salt to most of their dishes; birds like to consume them, too. The consumption of this ingredient can be highly toxic to birds. The serious health concerns that might arise from including in birds diet include dehydration, kidney dysfunction, and excessive thirst. It is advised to watch over the amount of salty food your bird eats, as it could lead to death.

5. Avocado

The intake of this popular fruit could cause some bird conditions, such as cardiac distress and even heart failure, due to the fruit’s skin and pit. Though the amount of toxicity avocados hold is not confirmed, it is advised and better to be safe than sorry. For your birds’ health and safety concerns, keeping the avocados away as much as possible would be good because they are considered among the foods that are toxic to birds.

6. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are another item in the variety of foods that are toxic to birds and are known to cause digestive upset in your birds. These fungi come with caps and stems and can cause animal liver failure. However, it mainly depends on the type of mushroom served to your birds. Ensure your birds never eat cooked or raw mushrooms to ensure their health and safety.

7. Tomato Leaves

Although tomatoes are not toxic to your bird’s health, attached leaf stems, and vines will surely cause toxicity in birds. Whenever you give your bird a tomato, ensure it is properly cleaned and served after detaching the green parts to avoid exposure to toxins in your birds. These stems and leaves can have toxic high acid content, making them unsafe for birds.

8. Caffeine

Some beverages like coffee, soda, and tea have a certain amount of caffeine that can be hazardous to your bird’s health. The intake of caffeine could result in cardiac malfunctions in your feathered friends which is why it includes in foods that are toxic to birds. These malfunctions can be increased heartbeat, hyperactivity, cardiac arrest, and arrhythmia, hyperactivity, and cardiac arrest. Instead, you must share only healthy drinks like fresh fruit juice. It will not only satisfy your bird’s taste and nutritional requirements.

9. Onions

In pet birds, excessive onion eating results in vomiting, diarrhea, and other digestive issues, even though small amounts of onion or garlic powder are usually appropriate as flavorings. Prolonged exposure has been shown to cause hemolytic anemia, a blood disorder that causes respiratory difficulty and eventually death.​

10. Dried Beans

While raw, dry beans can harm your pet, many birds prefer cooked beans. Hemagglutinin, a toxin in raw beans, is highly detrimental to birds. Any beans you share with your bird should be cooked thoroughly to prevent exposure, and dried beans should not be kept in an easy place to get to.

The Bottom Line

While the market is filled with commercially prepared food varieties for birds, some pet parents love to share what they eat with their loved birds. You might think every food can be fed to your birds, but that’s not true or healthy. That’s why we’ve prepared a helping guide for foods that are toxic to birds. By keeping those items and ingredients in mind, you can feed only what’s best and nutritious for your bird’s health and happiness. Avoid all the ingredients in this guide in any of the diet plans for your birds.

FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions