ORGANIC BIRD FOODS

Feed your bird healthy nutritous foods the natural way

What does Organic mean?

If a bird food label says it is "organic", then the food inside must meet very strict standards to make that claim. Most people don't realize though that there are actually three types of organic foods available.

The first one is food that is labeled "certified organic. To be labeled certified organic, a bird food can have not more than 5% of it's ingredients that are not approved organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A second type of food where you might find the word "organic" is on labels for foods that are not certified, however they use the word organic. A bird food can use wording such as "made with organic" ingredients, and may actually contain up to 30% of synthetic ingredients that are not organic at all.

And lastly, a bird food can contain only some organic ingredients and still be able to use the word "organic" somewhere on the labeling such as "contains organic ingredients". In this case, the food can have mostly ingredients that the manufacturer considers "natural ingredients" along with some organic, and is permitted to use the wording of organic on its label. Many of these foods however can contain some organic ingredients and many more natural ingredients, than other foods, which can be a benefit for your bird.

What does Natural Bird Food mean?

Natural bird foods should have only natural preservatives rather than chemical preservatives. Some chemical preservatives found in foods may be BHA, BHT, and Ehoxyquin, which have all been linked to health problems. Natural foods may contain natural herbs and vitamins such as rosemary, aloe, vitamin E, and other such ingredients as well.

So, natural bird foods may include animal and plant-based ingredients that are not produced as organic, but still be considered a natural food.

How do I know if my bird food is organic, natural, or just plain bird food?

Look for a label somewhere on the package certifying that the food is "Organic". More natural bird foods will usually say "made with natural ingredients", or "all natural ingredients", You will also need to read the labels on the bird foods you purchase to know exactly what you are buying. If you purchase your bird food locally, this is not a problem as the bag will have wording to let you know that the food is certified organic, or if it has organic ingredients in it. However, if you purchase your bird food on the Internet, check to see if the web site lists whether the food is organic or all natural in the item description. Since many bird owners are interested in purchasing organic or natural foods, stores usually make a point of letting you know this information.

Is organic bird food better for my bird?

There is no absolute one answer for that question as every bird is an individual, and many things play a part in the health of our birds. Many people want the most natural diets for their bird, so they choose more natural and organic bird foods to avoid food impurities that may be present in some foods. Although it has not been beyond a doubt proven (if there is such a thing), many bird owners as well as some avian veterinarians, believe birds with behavior problems such as feather picking, may do so because of allergies or sensitivities to certain foods. As we already know, humans can have allergies to dyes in foods, so who is to say our birds may not also have problems with dyes, added chemicals, pesticide residues, or other un-natural additives found in some foods. Feeding a more natural and/or organic diet may help alleviate some feather problems, or even other behavior problems such as aggression. You know your bird best, so talk with your avian veternarian and read everything you can about feeding your bird the best diet possible, then you will be able to make more informed choices to help your bird live a long healthy life.

What are the standards that bird food must meet to be labeled Organic?

The standards for organic bird food is very high indeed. In 1990 the U.S. Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To meet USDA standards and be called organic, foods must meet a complex set of standards. These standards for grains, fruits, and vegetables which are found in our bird foods, start with the soil the foods are grown in. It covers how the plants are tilled, what substances are used in the fields, and even how the food is harvested. Very little use of specified pesticides and herbicides can be used. It is preferred that natural, physical, mechanical, and biological methods be used if at all possible. It is important to note that Organic crops cannot be altered genetically using biotechnology. Organic bird foods can use up to 5% of approved non-organic ingredients and still be considered organic. The exception would be a food that claims it is 100% organic because in that case, every ingredient must be produced under perfect organic conditions. Since vitamins and minerals are not considered organic, it is very hard for a bird food to meet 100% organic and still contain the vitamins and minerals our birds need in their diet.

Fortunately for us, more and more manufacturers are becoming aware of how important our birds are to us, and they are producing more organic and natural foods for our parrots each year.

So, what again is the difference between organic and natural bird foods?

Natural foods are usually bird foods that have added herbs, whole foods and other naturally derived foods to the mix. Natural foods can however also contain synthetic (man made) ingredients along with the natural foods. This does not mean though that the food is not safe or very gentle to the digestive system of your bird.

Organic foods on the other hand, will only contain ingredients that meet FDA standards set for organic, such as crops grown without any use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, sewage sludge, or other waste, and that the ingredients were processed without any ionizing radiation or food additives.

Why is buying Organic a good thing?

Although organic foods usually cost anywhere from 10% to 40% more than commonly producted foods, if you consider all the reasons of why organic bird foods can benefit our environment and our birds, maybe it is not so much more expensive after all.

First lets look at how good organic farming is for our environment.

Organic farmers do not release synthetic pesticides into our environment which can pollute our lands and our lakes, rivers, and streams, as well as our wildlife.

Organic farmers are usually better at sustaining diverse ecosystems, such as populations of plants and insects to aid them in their farming.

Organic farms tend to use less energy and produce less waste.

Organic farms use on average 50% less fertilizer and 97% less pesticides, which means that organically grown foods on average have about one-third less as many residues as conventionally grown foods. Every bird owner knows pesticide residue can be very harmful to our birds. After all, birds are very small and it doesn't take a lot of something like a pesticide to endanger a bird's life.

And lastly, a good reason to purchase organic bird foods or more naturally produced foods, is that many people believe organic foods just plain taste better and have a higher nutritional value.
However, only your bird will know how good it tastes from a bird's perspective.