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Varied Winter Diets

© Mary Wilson

In most parts of the country, fall can be seen in the slight bite in the air. The leaves, so abundant during the spring and summer, begin to look a little less bright. In the markets, the produce shows signs of the turning seasons, as a few fruits and vegtables disappear week by week.

We all know the importance of a varied diet for our feathered friends. In the wild, birds survive on not only seeds, but vegtable matter, fruits, vegtables, and sometimes insects. To feed captive birds a diet based solely on seed is akin to feeding a child a diet of junk food. While it may taste good, both children loose the esential nutrients found in a varied diet.

So, when winter snow flies and fresh fruits and vegtables come only from a market, how will the contious bird owner provide fresh fruits and vegtables? There are actually several methods.

The first is to collect the bounty while it is fresh. For those with gardens, this presents a unique opportunity to freeze or can litterally vine ripened produce. To be able to thaw out a batch of corn, or savor sweet pickles fresh from the garden, is an experience that most gardeners do not forget. Neither do our birds. In the depts of winter, they will enjoy what fresh foods that they can.

A home dehydrator is also a great way to keep produce for the long term. I like to throw dehydrated carrots or peppers in homemade cornbread for my birds. They also enjoy crunching on them, and is an alternate form of presentation for our sometimes fastidious birds.

Fresh sprouts provide a multitude of vitamins and minerals and can be sprouted indoors year round. With the wide variety of sprouting kits on the market, there is sure to be one to fit your budget and tastes.

A contented parrot, no matter the size, is a wonderful thing to watch. While it isn't difficult to keep the fresh fruits and vegtables coming during the winter months, it certainly is something on which parrot owners need to spend some thought.

The copyright of the article Varied Winter Diets in Small Hookbills is owned by Mary Wilson. Permission to republish Varied Winter Diets in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.