---
title: "What birds can and cannot eat"
description: "19 foods sorted for birds: 5 toxic, 11 fine, and what each one actually does. Plus the ones commonly got wrong."
url: https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/bird/
site: "At One Place"
---

# What birds can and cannot eat

19 foods with a verdict for birds specifically, because the answer genuinely differs by species — cats are several times more sensitive to onion than dogs, rabbits cannot vomit at all, and avocado is a mild caution for a dog and lethal for a bird.

> If this has already been eaten, ring your vet or an animal poison control line now rather than waiting for signs to appear — for several of these the window in which treatment works closes before the animal looks unwell. Do not try to make the animal sick at home: home emetics are dangerous for corrosive and petroleum substances and for an animal already showing signs, and salt-based ones have themselves proved fatal.

## Toxic — treat as an emergency

| Food | Why | Dose known? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chocolate | Small body mass makes even a crumb significant. | Yes |
| Onion, garlic, leek and chives | Same oxidative mechanism. | Yes |
| Avocado | Genuinely toxic to birds. Persin causes cardiac damage and death, and this is not a myth. | No |
| Alcohol | A few drops matter at bird body weights. | No |
| Coffee, tea and energy drinks | Same. | No |

## Everything else

| Food | Verdict | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Apple | In moderation | Flesh fine, seeds removed — birds are small enough for the seeds to matter. |
| Banana | Safe | Well tolerated and popular. |
| Carrot | Safe | Well tolerated. |
| Blueberries and strawberries | Safe | Well tolerated. |
| Watermelon and melon | Safe | Popular and well tolerated. |
| Pumpkin | Safe | Flesh and seeds both fine. |
| Oranges, lemons and limes | In moderation | Flesh fine in small amounts. |
| Bread | Risky | Filling and nutritionally empty. The classic reason not to feed bread to ducks. |
| Lettuce and leafy greens | Safe | Dark leaves are a good staple green. |
| Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower | Safe | Well tolerated and nutritious. |
| Honey | Risky | Raw honey can carry botulism spores, which matters more at bird body weights. |
| Coconut and coconut oil | Safe | Well tolerated. |
| Peas, green beans and sweetcorn kernels | Safe | Good, and popular. |
| Cinnamon | Risky | Fine powders are a respiratory hazard for birds. |

## Read the full page

- [Can birds eat chocolate?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/chocolate/) — Toxic
- [Can birds eat onion, garlic, leek and chives?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/onion-garlic/) — Toxic
- [Can birds eat avocado?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/avocado/) — Toxic
- [Can birds eat apple?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/apple/) — In moderation
- [Can birds eat alcohol?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/alcohol/) — Toxic
- [Can birds eat coffee, tea and energy drinks?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/caffeine/) — Toxic
- [Can birds eat banana?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/banana/) — Safe
- [Can birds eat carrot?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/carrot/) — Safe
- [Can birds eat blueberries and strawberries?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/blueberries/) — Safe
- [Can birds eat watermelon and melon?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/watermelon/) — Safe
- [Can birds eat pumpkin?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/pumpkin/) — Safe
- [Can birds eat oranges, lemons and limes?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/citrus/) — In moderation
- [Can birds eat bread?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/bread/) — Risky
- [Can birds eat lettuce and leafy greens?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/lettuce/) — Safe
- [Can birds eat broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/broccoli/) — Safe
- [Can birds eat honey?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/honey/) — Risky
- [Can birds eat coconut and coconut oil?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/coconut/) — Safe
- [Can birds eat peas, green beans and sweetcorn kernels?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/sweetcorn-and-peas/) — Safe
- [Can birds eat cinnamon?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/cinnamon/) — Risky

## Related pages

- [What dogs can and cannot eat](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/dog/)
- [What cats can and cannot eat](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/cat/)
- [What rabbits can and cannot eat](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/rabbit/)