Green Wing Macaw Diets

Without a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains, your green wing macaw will not live very long. Studies have shown that a poor diet results in many behavioral and health issues that can often become life threatening. According to Doctor's Foster and Smith, a pet education website, malnutrition in pet birds results in many behavioral issues such as biting, plucking feathers, fatty liver disease, and even death. The green wing macaw should eat a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, flowers, nuts and seeds, as well as a vitamin-fortified bird pellet.

  1. Bird Pellet

    • In the wild, the green wing macaw forages for many foods that aren't available outside the rainforest, according to PBS. Pet macaws aren't able to get the kind of nutrition that's available to them in the wild from a seed-only diet, so it's important to offer a quality bird pellet that offers all the essential vitamins and minerals that a seed-only diet lacks. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations.

    Fruits and Vegetables

    • Fruits and vegetables should be served raw or cooked, in large manageable chunks. Your macaw should be able to pick the pieces up with its feet. It's always best to ask your veterinarian for fruit and vegetable recommendations because if your bird is overweight, certain foods may not appropriate. Generally, sweet potato, yam, carrots, peas, cantaloupe, watermelon and apples without the seeds are safe choices.

    Seeds and Nuts

    • Green wing macaws are able to consume a large amount of seed when combined with other foods, without having to worry about becoming overweight. The green wing macaw is a frugivore, according to Doctors Foster and Smith. A frugivore consumes mostly fruits, and flowers with seeds and some nuts. Almonds, macadamia, walnut, sunflower and pumpkin are good choices, and can be fed with the shell on because the macaw can remove the shell on its own.

    Flowers

    • According to Doctors Foster and Smith, macaws are capable of eating flowers that would kill other birds. This is because in the wild, macaws eat a mineral substance that resembles a mud pie from the clay licks inside the Amazon. The mineral allows the macaw to eat highly toxic foods that would otherwise kill it. To be safe, ask your veterinarian which flowers are appropriate because a pet macaw cannot consume the some of the more potent flowers that a wild macaw could.

    Foods to Avoid

    • Never feed avocado, caffeine, chocolate or fruit pits to your green wing macaw. These items are extremely poisonous and can kill your bird. There have been some instances where owners have claimed their birds ate avocado and survived, however; these stories have never been substantiated. Never chance feeding items that are thought to be poisonous to your bird. Many of these items are not only deadly but can cause extreme discomfort and pain as the birds die.