The National
Cockatiel Society

~ Official Member ~

~ Bird Recipes ~
I'm always trying different foods and treats! Some days our birds don't know what to expect for lunch!
Remember: Every bird is different, just like little kids, some won't eat their veggies...

Some of these Recipes were found at:
http://www.xoparrots.com
Others I found at:
http://www.birdsnways.com

**Kromers Kraven Krunch**
Posted by: Katie Price - January 2002
"This is one of our birds favorites treats"
I found, that using the "Everything Bagels" works best ~ it has sunflower seeds and nuts already in the bagel.. Besides, it's also one of my favorite bagels...

Bagel(s)
Peanut Butter
Honey
Seeds or Dried Fruit

Smear peanut butter over the bagels, be sure to cover it all. Then roll the bagel in your birds favorite seeds or dry fruit. Then lightly drizzle honey over it. Put in the oven at 250'F for about five mins or until honey slightly hardens. Let cool for five to ten mins before serving. My macaw loves this tasty treat and eats it faster than I can put it in his cage.
*HINT: If you plan on hanging this treat, you need to apply some honey to the bagel frist (before the peanut butter) This keeps the peanut butter and seeds from sliding off!

 Beans and Rice
1 1/2 cups dry beans (mix of many kinds such as 15 bean soup)
1/2 cup split peas
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup cracked corn
1/2 cup dried peppers
4 cups water 

Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse. Place in pan and cover with water. Bring to boil and boil 2 minutes. Let stand and cool 1 hour. Drain and rinse. Add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until water is absorbed (about 1 hour). Cool and place in containers in refrigerator or freezer.

 Banana Nut Oatmeal
2/3 cups oatmeal (not instant)
1 medium to large banana (sliced or mashed)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/3 cups water  
Bring water to a boil. Add all ingredients. Boil and stir 1 minute. Cover, remove from heat, let stand until cool.    

 Rice Dessert
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup split peas
1 medium to large banana, sliced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tablespoon dry powered milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups water 
Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until water is absorbed (about 45 minutes). Cool before serving.      

 Corn Bake
1/2 cup whole milk
4 cups corn
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
6 TBS. peanut oil 
Mix all ingredients together.. Pour half of the mixture into a greased 8"x8" pan. Top with remaining corn mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Freeze until ready to use.    

 Rice Salad for Birds
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 can whole kernel corn
3 hard boiled eggs (chopped) 
Cook rice according to the directions on the box. Cool and add drained whole kernel corn and eggs. Mix and serve.
Reprinted with permission from Missouri Cage Bird Association "Recipes Are for the Birds"

More exciting recipes can be found at:
The Recipe Xchange

• Birdie Breads and Muffins
• Breakfast: Eggs, Pancakes, Waffles
• Desserts, Fruits, Drinks, Cool Things
• Mineral Blocks, Cement Perches
• Cakes, Cookies, Pies & Pizza
• Soft Foods, Veggies, Grains, Sprouts
• Tasty Treats
• Miscellaneous Recipes

Do you have a birdie recipe or treat
you'd like to share? Please Contact me
and I'll added it here!

**Pine Cone Treat**
Posted by: (Me) Sheila Wallace - Apr 2008

Pine Cones - as many as you think you need!
Crunchy Peanut Butter (low calorie, reduced salt)
Seeds, Dried Fruit or anything your birds love
Honey or Corn Syrup

We collect pine cones every year - our children and grandchildren love this little chore when we go camping... "Its for the birds" I would say, and off they go, coming back with arms full of lovely cones...

*its very important to sterilize the cones before you start* You can store our pine cones until needed! Just remember when your ready to make this treat sterilize them first in the oven at 350 for 10 to 20 minutes. Too long and they can catch fire.. I know, it happened once. Anyway, once your cones are sterilized you are ready to make this delicious little treat..


Simply spread the peanut butter all over the cones. Roll in your seeds or fruit, then drizzle the honey all over (try to cover all the seeds and fruit). Place in the oven at 250 for 5 - 10 minutes or until the honey hardens. Let cool before serving. You can use wire, string or chain to hand them up, but its a messy treat so put in the corner of their cage or some place were the mess can be contained...

The PLUS to this treat is when all the good stuff has been eaten, they will continue to use the pine cone as a chew toy... I've even added bells and other little things (with wire and string) to make it an edible play toy..

~ IMPORTANT ~ Please Read!
The milk used in the following recipes is for holding the mixture together. *Since birds do not digest dairy products as protein or as a fat, milk should not be offered as a drink.

 Birdie Bread
Courtesy of Clyde Keeney
3 eggs
2/3 cup of milk
2 boxes of "Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix"
1 "Gerber's" Jr. size jar sweet potatoes or carrots
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup seed (optional)
1/2 cup pellets  

Mix all ingredients in large bowl; bake in muffin tins or cake pans at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until done. Can be frozen.

Do you have a birdie recipe or treat
you'd like to share? Please Contact me
and I'll added it here!

 Pasta and Rice
(This is for a big batch)
Courtesy of Michelle Cushman
2 Cups- Organic vegetable pasta (orzo pasta)
2 Cups- Wild/Brown rice combo
1 Cups- wheat germ
2- Hard-boiled Eggs
1 Cups- Frozen Spinach
1 Cups- Frozen Corn
1 Cups- Frozen Broccoli
1 Cups- Brussels Sprouts  
First you cook up the rice and pasta (separately) and boil the eggs. Next you boil all the veggies (only boil for about 5 min.) . Last but not least you
mash the Brussels Sprouts and chop up the broccoli and combine all ingredients.

 Bean, Egg & Veggie Mix
Courtesy of Sara Randall
Here is a recipe that I make for cockatiels. They just gobble this all up! If you only have a few birds one serving size on each ingredient works well. But if you have several birds just double or triple [so on and so fourth] the recipe to what you need.

Follow the serving size according to the packages.

Mixed Beans
Brown Rice
Vegetable Baby Food
Wheat Pasta
Oatmeal [Not Instant]
Frozen Mixed Vegetables
Hard Boiled Egg [Shell and All]

Cook each item separately according to the cooking directions on the food packages, then mixed them together. Once cooled store them into containers and freeze them. I find yogurt cups or smaller work well. To this recipe you can also add other vegetables such as broccoli, red peppers, alfalfa sprouts, so on and so fourth.