What Do Cockatiels Eat? A Guide to Their Diet

If you live in America, you may be familiar with the loud, chirping birds called cockatiels that reside in many homes. This is because this type of bird is quite popular; in fact, it is one of the most popular pet birds in the country. Cockatiels are friendly and outgoing, which makes them a good companion. Cockatiels are well-known for their particular whistle sounds that can be serenaded towards their favorite person, thing, or even to their own reflection. A cockatiel in captivity can live more than 20 years when cared for properly and when fed a healthy and balanced diet. Below, we’ll discuss which food cockatiels eat in the wild, what to feed them in captivity, and the nutrients they need in their diet.

What Do Cockatiels Eat?

Cockatiels are herbivorous birds that eat a diet that mainly includes seeds, flowers, fresh and dry nuts, fruits, legumes, freshly harvested pods, berries, and crops.

In the wild, cockatiels are ground feeders and will mostly feed on plants and other vegetation. They are also known to eat farmers’ crops and dive onto sprouting seeds and legumes. These loud-chirping birds have also adapted to this kind of diet in their natural habitat and have evolved to learn how to remove shells from seeds quickly.

The cockatiel’s preference for seeds varies depending on its habitat and on what is available. In a 1987 study published by D Jones, for instance, it was figured that cockatiels preferred younger and softer seeds among the 29 different types of seeds present in the experiment. 

As cockatiels love to feed on whatever is on the ground, they may occasionally eat terrestrial insects in addition to plants and crops — basically anything their beaks can reach.

What Do Cockatiels Eat as Pets?

A healthy and balanced cockatiel diet should include grass seeds, pellets specially crafted for them, legumes, grains, nuts, cereals, and a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

In order to prolong a cockatiel’s lifespan, they should be fed a diverse diet. Like most bird species, cockatiels need a balanced combination of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, fat, protein, and water. Cockatiels are also prone to obesity and other health problems, such as iodine deficiency; thus, they require a maintained and balanced diet.

Cockatiels can enjoy a variety of food, but to get the necessary nutrients for them to grow, they should be fed with pellets and seeds, which should make up at least 60% of their diet.

Are Pellets a Better Food Choice for Cockatiels?

Grass seeds and pellets are both a primary diet for cockatiels. Pellets, however, have a higher nutritional value for pet cockatiels as they are specifically formulated for the bird species and they have additional nutritious ingredients. 

There are a lot of experts who consider pellets as a stable part of a cockatiel’s diet. However, pellets are not a natural food for birds, so they can be combined with other foods. Most owners assume that seeds are better for a cockatiel’s diet as they are their usual food in their natural habitat. Seeds, however, lack vitamins and calcium, that is vital for a cockatiel’s growth and health. This is why pellets are formulated – so the nutrients that most food lacks can be combined together in one pelleted food, with the right amount of vitamins, calcium, and minerals.

An all-seed diet can cause various health problems, such as nerve damage, immune system disorders, sinusitis, and others that may potentially shorten their lifespan. A balance of 75% pellets and 25% seeds in their diet is a good mixture, and it is even better when supplemented with fresh greens and fruits.

What Fruits and Vegetables Do Cockatiels Eat?

Cockatiels regularly need fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet to copy the naturally varied food they usually have in the wild. Fruits and greens should take up at least 20% of their regular diet. For fruits, cockatiels can eat those with high vitamin C nutrients, such as oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, and mangoes. They can also eat all-season fruits like apples, grapes, bananas, and various types of berries. 

Here is a list of fruits that cockatiels can add to their diet:

• Bananas
• Apples
• Grapes
• Peaches
• Apricots
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Kiwi
• Guava
• Papaya
• Mango
• Cherries
• Melon
• Pomegranate
• Nectarines

Cockatiels can also be fed with dried fruits such as raisins, dates, plums, cranberries, and prunes. Although cockatiels often eat seeds, some fruit seeds can be toxic and dangerous for them, so seeds in fruits must be removed before feeding. 

As for vegetables, ample greens are a good choice for a cockatiel’s diet. Also, so are vegetables like sweet potatoes which are rich in vitamin A. When feeding pet cockatiels leafy greens, the darker the leaves, the better. Here is a list of the vegetables that can be added to their diet:

• Leaf lettuce
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Watercress
• Carrots
• Sweet potato
• Asparagus
• String beans
• Corn
• Tomatoes

Canned vegetables shouldn’t be fed to cockatiels as they are filled only with calories and lack nutrients. 

How Often Do Cockatiels Eat?

Adult cockatiels need to eat at least two times a day, once in the morning and once before nightfall. They need to be fed 1.5 to 2 tablespoons or 30 to 40 grams of pellets or seeds every day, and occasional treats of fruits and greens.