A question that often comes up is what do cockatiels eat in the wild? It’s an interesting question for us pet cockatiel owners and perhaps of some general interest too.
For cockatiel owners, it is good to consider what they eat in the wild, as it could influence what we offer our feathered family members to eat.
Giving your cockatiel food that they would eat in the wild is generally a good idea. There are however two things to keep in mind. 1. Your pet cockatiel doesn’t get as much exercise as a wild bird does and therefore does not need as much energy. 2. Wild birds won’t always eat what is best, but will eat what they like (if they can) and probably more likely, simply eat what is available.
As a pet cockatiel owner, we must consider their calorie and nutrient requirements as well as what they might like to eat. Here’s a list on what you can and cannot give your cockatiel and a post all about the best diet for your feathered friend.
So What Do Cockatiels Eat in the Wild?
In the wild, cockatiels eat a large variety of grass and weed seeds, fruits and vegetables, leafy plants, berries, flowers and roots. Their wild diet is hugely diverse and although the average commercial seed mix may have 4-10 different types of seeds, wild birds may eat as much as 29 different types of seed, according to one study. Sorghum seeds are a particular favourite of wild cockatiels. Sorghum is the umbrella term used for a group of about 25 flowering plants that belong to the grass family.
Wild cockatiels are opportunistic herbivores and have even been known to eat farmers crops in the Australian outback and whatever else they can find.
As you probably know, if you own a cockatiel, they love sunflower seeds and millet spray, which are high in fat and calorically dense. In the wild this is great for the energy production needed to fly away from predators and move from one grazing spot to another. In the wild, these seeds are also not easy to find. So give your bird millet spray and sunflower seeds but make sure it’s a treat!
Why Supplement Their Diet With Wild Foods?
In the wild, parrots spend a large portion of their day foraging, chewing and basically working hard for their food. In captivity, if given a bowl of seeds, cockatiels can eat all they need to fuel themselves in 5-10 minutes.
So a varied diet including some wild foods for nutrients is just one reason to give your pet some wild food. Another great reason is so they don’t get bored. Eating seed mixes only is just too easy!
Cockatiels love seed, but as we have learnt, commercial seed mixes don’t provide all their nutrient needs and are high in fat and carbohydrates, and too easy when you have a big dish of seeds ready for the taking. Therefore seed mixes should only make up part of their diet.
Along with offering your bird pellets (check out the best pellets here), a good quality seed mix, some fruits and veggies and table foods, you can forage on behalf of your cockatiel.
Try Adding These Wild Foods To Your Cockatiels Diet
If you are like me sometimes your garden gets a few wild grasses growing where perhaps they shouldn’t. Don’t worry, this is great! When these grasses go to seed your pet cockatiel will love you for it. When walking keep an eye out for grass seeds. Make sure they are not too close to a busy road, where car fumes may make the seed polluted, or where ‘weeds’ may have been sprayed. Avoid seeds with mould after rain.
You can also leave some bird seed on the ground and let it grow and go to seed. This seed will then be fresh, which is not what is commercially offered. Fresh is how wild cockatiels eat their seed!
You can also offer your pet cockatiel some dandelion and other weeds. Make sure it hasn’t been sprayed and your are good to go.
You can grab branches and leaves from Lemon Scented Ti-tree, Wattle and Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Lilly Pilly and Grevillia. In general, look for Australian native plants, shrubs and trees. In all circumstances never feed your bird house plants (they are toxic)!
Lastly, if you live in Australia, have a look at what the other wild parrots are eating. Look out the window and add this as a good reason to go for a walk. What the wild birds are eating is a pretty good indicator of what your pet cockatiel will like too.
Chat soon,
Glenn
