Dear Parrots magazine,
The Importance of Food
I was intrigued when I read Sally Blanchard’s article in the January issue about the importance of food. I have always believed in giving as wide a variety as possible of natural foods and cannot get my head around complete pelleted diets.
Throughout the year in the wild, food sources would vary and birds, and all animals come to that, will experience a different diet. But in captivity, our birds are stuck with what we give them, so it is important that we provide a healthy diet throughout the year as different foods come and go. However, that is easy to say, and many owners will provide what they think best rather than what is best for the birds.
Our learning of how we look after our birds has a long way to go and our understanding never ceases. As with any animals, including us humans, diet is just about the most essential thing for good health and wellbeing. I have always fed natural food, and my birds, three Greys and two Amazons are in excellent condition after twenty odd years, so I can’t be doing too much wrong. I hope there are many more years to come with them.
Angela Cockburn, by email