In trying to offer fresh greens to birds, it is often a good idea to finely chop them and add them to foods they already enjoy. We take a bunch of freshly washed kale, roll it tightly like a cigar, and begin chopping in thin slices, starting at the stem end. When all leaves are sliced across, turn and slice the bundle crosswise, so the thin shreds are chopped. Mix them with the preferred foods and stir in well. Greens we use are all kale varieties, mizuna (Japanese Mustard), endive, curly endive, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens, carrot greens and dandelion greens. Single leaves can also be offered whole for them to play with and eat.

There are VERY good reasons to include more leafy greens in your eclectus parrot’s diet. They are packed with vitamins, minerals like iron and calcium, antioxidants, fiber, phytonutrients and chlorophyll.  They are also a source of omega-3 fatty acids, have anti-inflammatory properties, and help the body detoxify.