Neonatal Parrot Nutrition

Most commercial psittacine diets were originally based on poultry diets and modified based on trial and error and research on budgies and cockatiels. However, by studying the diets of macaw and Amazon chicks from Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica and the Bahamas, Juan Cornejo and Donald Brightsmith are providing new information on what baby parrots are fed in the wild. By comparing so many sites and species we are hoping to determine if wild macaws and Amazon parrots have broadly similar diets or if each species has its own unique combination of nutrients. The results from Scarlet Macaw chicks in Peru show that these birds are getting much more fat and Calcium than expected and much less sodium and the amino acid Lysine than anyone would have predicted. New samples have arrived from Costa Rica and the Bahamas and we are anxiously waiting to see if these trends hold across all our wild parrot chicks. As part of this study, we are also looking at commercially available parrot hand feeding formulas to compare their physical and nutritional characteristics. Thanks to the Morris Animal Foundation, Wildlife Protection Foundation, bird clubs and private individuals like you who have generously supported our research.

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