Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2023 October 19

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October 19

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How much meat should a bird be eating per week?

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I know that they sometimes eat meat in the wild, but does anyone know how much in terms of grams? Parrot is a mealy amazon, large male (big bird, big appetite). He gets uttlerly furious if people are eating meat and not sharing with him. Halal, not fried, no added salt of course. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 146.200.126.2 (talk) 04:02, 19 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Based on what I find on the Internet (e.g. here), parrots do not need meat at all in their diet and moderation is generally recommended. They do need iodine,[1] which is often included in the formula for store-bought pellets and can also be supplied through a variety of supplements, but for which meat is also a source.  --Lambiam 05:45, 19 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Here in Australia, where we have a lot of parrots in the wild, on two occasions I have seen parrots dining on some roadkill, kangaroo I think. But I'm in my 70s, so that's not a big statistic. Just observing that it does happen. HiLo48 (talk) 00:11, 20 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]
In that situation, the parrot must have been uttlerly starving. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots03:05, 20 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Don't think so. There was plenty of vegetation around. HiLo48 (talk) 03:48, 20 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]
According to the "Handbook of Avian Medicine," parrots are omnivores and commonly eat insects in the wild. While they do not attack large animals, they commonly eat carrion. The amount they consume is based on their primary diet. The more protein it has, the less insects and meat they eat. In captivity, meat is used as a diet supplement to increase protein, but it is preferred to use seads and nuts that are high in protein instead of meat. 97.82.165.112 (talk) 11:38, 20 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Rocs should have no more than one large elephant (or two small ones) per week. Clarityfiend (talk) 12:10, 22 October 2023 (UTC) [reply]
Some of them eat 24 x 7. Kind of a Roc-around-the-clock situation. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots14:53, 22 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]