Cockatiel · Greens & herbs
Can cockatiels eat kale?
Yes. Kale is a nutritious regular green for cockatiels, supplying beta-carotene and calcium that seed-heavy diets lack. Wash it and offer it chopped or as a whole leaf to shred.
- Portion
- A leaf piece about 8 cm (3 in) square, or about 2 teaspoons chopped
- How often
- Several times a week, alongside other vegetables
- Sugar
- 1 g / 100 g
How to serve it
- Rinse the leaves thoroughly
- Remove the thick central rib
- Chop or tear into cockatiel-sized pieces
- Serve raw or lightly steamed with no seasoning
Why
Risks. Kale is safe in normal amounts. Very large quantities of cabbage-family greens could in theory affect iodine use, so vary the greens rather than feeding kale alone.
Benefits. Kale is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin K and vitamin C and contains calcium, which is useful for cockatiels, a species prone to vitamin A and calcium deficiencies.
Questions owners ask 2
Is kale good for cockatiels?
Yes. It is one of the better greens for them, as long as it is part of a varied mix and the base diet is pellets.
Can cockatiels eat kale stems?
The thin stems are fine; the thick central rib is tough and less nutritious, so it is easier to strip it off.
Kale: nutrition per 100 g
| Water | 89.6 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 35 kcal |
| Sugars | 1 g |
| Fat | 1.5 g |
| Protein | 2.9 g |
| Fibre | 4.1 g |
| Calcium | 254 mg |
| Phosphorus | 55 mg |
| Calcium : phosphorus | 4.62 : 1 |
| Sodium | 53 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 241 µg |
| Vitamin C | 93.4 mg |
“Kale, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 168421). Public domain.
Sources & method 3
The sources below discuss kale for cockatiels (or for pet birds generally). Confidence: high. Rated on the JOMIZOO Feeding Scale; when good sources disagree we choose the more cautious level.
- Fruits and Vegetables in Birds' Diets — VCA Animal Hospitals
- Feeding Pet Cockatiels — VCA Animal Hospitals
- Where Avian Nutrition and Health Intersect (Diet-related Disease in Pet Birds) — University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine (Judilee C. Marrow, DVM, DACZM)
