Basic Nutrition for Amazon Parrots by Lisa D. McDaniel University of California, Davis Introduction musculature is an aid to feeding. Italso has The Amazon Parrots belong to the order a function in the well-known phonation of Psittaciiformes, in the class A ves. They are parrots. Normally a bird alters its vocal characterized by their predominantly green resonation by moving its glottis upwards color, with red, blue and yellow highlights, and downwards. Parrots have the added and their heavy hooked beaks. option to use the tongue to alter the shape of the pharynx (the rear portion of the oral They are credited with being a friend to Lisa McDaniel and Cousteau in an after-dinner the pirate who always seemed to be missing cavity) and shunt vocalizations through the chat. an earlobe. More recently they are accused nasal passages (Nottebohm, 1976). of horrible crimes against the farmers of The tongue ofAmazons is broader at the ascending duodenum, one in front and the South and Central America such as crop tip than the base, bearing some resembl­ other behind the left hepatic duct. The dor­ destruction. Most ofus keep them to enter­ ance to a thumb. It has shallow grooves in sal lobe is composed of smaller lobes or tain us, and to be our pets. the central lateral edges. Salivary glands are in the back of the mouth (oropharynx), lobules scattered around the beginning of Digestive System leaving the tongue dry. Tasteglands are pre­ the portal vein. The anterior lobule is the Next to his color, the beak of a parrot is sent on the surface of the tongue, but the largest, and a duct goes from it to the ascen­ his most striking feature. This hooked density is not known. Hot and cold sensa­ ding limb of the duodenum. The pancreas structure is of very solid construction (Fig. tion also appears to be present. which secretes digestive enzymes, also 1) and has massive sized mandibles. Besides Along with other feeding adaptations, secretes the hormones glucagon and in­ its obvious use in feeding, the beak is used the parrot has the ability to hold food in its sulin, making it an endocrine organ. Both as an aid to climbing and in behavioral foot and raise it to its mouth to eat. A ma­ are used in the regulation of blood sugar display. The strength of the parrots beak is jority ofAmazons (710/0) appear to use the levels. best judged during his feeding. A kernel of left foot for feeding (Friedman and Davis, Parrots have no gall bladder. Bile from dried corn poses no obstacle. A hazel nut or 1938). the liver travels down the bile ducts directly an almond is cracked almost as if it were a The esophagus of parrots is typical of to the duodenum. In relative length, villi sunflower seed. Obviously, perches, wood most omnivores and has abundant mucous structure, and gland abundance, the Ama­ toys and pine molding can be reduced to glands. The crop is not as well developed as zons' duodenum is similar to those ofother toothpicks in a few days. in many other seed eaters. birds. The rest of the intestine is equally It seems that there is more to the beak As in many other birds the Amazons' typical except for the complete absence of than a mere feeding device. Many birds proventriculus, or glandular stomach, is ceca. Ceca are outpocketings ofthe large in­ consume fruits, seeds, and nuts and their lined with glands secreting pepsin and testine which may have functions in digestive systems are adapted to these foods hydrochloric acid. These tubuloalveolar fermentation ofcellulose, water absorption without crushing beaks. Normally, most glands open into a collecting chamber that and bacterial production of certain birds crack a seed and swallow the meat discharges by a duct into the lumen (food vitamins. whole, or swallow it shell and all, letting the containing interior) of the proventriculus. gizzard crush the object. Parrots, however, The ventriculus, or gizzard, is not of the General Nutrition have their own method of particle reduc­ muscular type as one would expect in a seed We need to know a little about general tion. The upper beak and tongue hold the eater, possibly due to particle reduction by avian nutrition before we can discuss food, and the lower beak grinds or shaves the beak. Amazons, specifically. Birds like humans off pieces to be swallowed. The pancreas has two .ventral and one have a single stomach and are called mono­ The tongue of parrots is markedly dif­ dorsal lobe. The two ventral lobes may be gastric. This makes their dietary nutritional ferent from the tongues of other birds in fused at their posterior end. Each ventral requirements more critical than those of that it is highly muscled. This strong lobe has a duct leading to an opening in the polygastrics or ruminants (cows, sheep). Very little information is available on the COMPLETE ORBITAL RING nutritional requirements ofany birds other SKULL than domestic poultry. However, we shall FIGURE I NOSTRIL" try to make some generalizations. " Water is essential for all birds, butcan be MAXILLA ~/ supplied by various means. A part of this PROCESS water can be supplied by succulent foods. UPPER MANDIBLE-ft~t- ~~~~~~ Parrots do need fresh drinking water. Carbohydrates (starches and sugars) are REFRONTAL PROCESS provided by seeds, cereals and tubers. Star­ ches are polysaccharides or long chains of LOWER MANDIBLE / monosaccharides. The most important monosaccharide or free simple sugar is ZYGOMATIC ARCH from Forshaw (1977) glucose. It circulates in the blood, is trans- 36 ported across the cell membranes, and is utilized in oxidative metabolism as a source ofenergy. Glucose can be made metabolic­ ally bygluconeogenesis, or can be obtained from the breakdown of polysaccharides. Fructose and other monosaccharides are less important except to some fruit eating birds. Birds are able to utilize fats and oils. Tri­ glycerides (glycerol plus three fatty acids) appear to be utilized more readily than free fatty acids. The requirement for an essen­ tial fatty acid (usually linoleic acid) is generally accepted. Linoleic acid is abun­ dant in most seeds and generally need not be added to the diet. All types of birds- Protein requirements are not only quan­ titative but also qualitative. Proteins are a complete stock of cages made up ofamino acids which are put into two categories: essential and non-essential. and supplies The body cannot synthesize enough of the essential amino acids to meet its require­ Retail • Wholesale ments. The non-essential amino acids can be synthesized from the essential ones, but HINKLE'S BIRD SHOP the metabolic cost of this synthesis can be Jim & Smitty Hinkle excessive. So all of the essential and most owners non-essential amino acids should be pro­ 415 West Grand vided in the diet. Escondido, Most essential amino acids are the same CA 92025 OPEN DAILY 10:30-6:30 for all monogastric animals. They are (714) 741-8074 CLOSED SUNDAYS & HOLIDAYS arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threo­ nine, tryptophan, and valine. In addition, glycine is needed by birds becauseit is a part of the uric acid molecule that facilitates nitrogen excretion. 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When Please ship me PEST FREE eliminators at $69.50 each. deficient the major minerals can cause Name Address~~~~~~~~~~_ serious problems. Trace mineral deficien­ City State Zip,~ ~__ cies are harder to induce because of the small amounts needed. Selenium, molyb- 37 denum and fluorine deficiencies have never ....,..~.,..,....,..,...-------"""'l""-----.E .~ COMPLETE LOCAL been seen in birds. WAREHOUSE STOCKS Natural Diets The only way to determine the natural diets ofbirds is to do field studies. The most obvious and accepted methods is by direct observation by workers who sit in the habitat of a given bird and watch it feed. Species of food, part eaten, how much, how often, time of day and year, and number of individuals feeding are all recorded. Table 1 gives an overview of the observations obtained by this method.