Bird bread is one of the easier ways to get something new into a fussy bird.
It's cheap, it takes about half an hour, and because you control what goes in it you can hide vegetables, herbs and seed in something that looks nothing like a bowl of chopped Broccoli. Freeze it in portions and one batch lasts weeks.
Here's the base recipe and what to do with it.
Jump to The Recipe, What to Add, Serving and Storing or Frequently Asked Questions.
The Base Recipe
Three ingredients. Everything else is optional.
- 2½ cups wholemeal flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup water
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking dish with baking paper.
- Mix the wholemeal flour and rolled oats in a large bowl.
- Add the water gradually, stirring until it forms a thick dough.
- Add whatever extras you're using and mix through.
- Knead until everything is combined. Don't overwork it.
- Press the dough into the lined dish and bake for around 20 minutes, checking as you go.
- Once it's golden and cooked through, take it out and let it cool completely before serving.
Use baking paper rather than greasing the dish. Oils and cooking sprays aren't something we'd add to bird food, and paper does the job without them.
What to Add
This is where bird bread earns its place. The base is deliberately plain so you can build on it.
Vegetables. Grated Carrot, finely chopped Broccoli, Pumpkin or Sweet Potato. A good way to get something green into a bird that picks it out of the bowl. Our guide to safe vegetables has plenty of options.
Seeds and nuts. Pepitas, hulled hemp, linseed, chopped Walnut or puffed Buckwheat all work well. See our guide to safe nuts and seeds.
Herbs and dried flowers. Chamomile, Lavender, Calendula or dried herbs add smell and interest. Our guide to safe herbs and flowers covers what to use.
A ready-made treat mix. Raw for Birds Fruit and Nut Treat saves picking out individual ingredients and gives you fruit, nuts and seeds in one go.
Chilli. Birds don't register the heat, and plenty of parrots love it.
Fruit, in smaller amounts. It's sweet, so treat it the way you would in the bowl. See our guide to safe fruit.
What not to add: salt, sugar, oil, honey, dairy and anything from the general avoid list. Our list of 200 safe and toxic foods is the reference if you're unsure.
Serving and Storing
Let it cool completely before it goes anywhere near your bird.
Cut it small. Cubes for larger parrots, crumbs or thin fingers for Budgies and Cockatiels.
Treat it as a treat. Once or twice a week rather than a daily staple. Bird bread is a way to add variety and interest, not a replacement for fresh food and a proper diet.
Fridge for up to a week, in an airtight container.
Freezer for longer. Portion it first so you can take out what you need. Thaw at room temperature rather than in the microwave, since microwaves heat unevenly and hot spots in food are a genuine burn risk for birds.
Using It for Foraging
Bird bread holds together well, which makes it more useful than most treats for enrichment.
Cut it into cubes and hide them in a foraging toy, scatter pieces through a foraging mat, thread a chunk onto a skewer, or tuck it into cardboard for a bird to shred through.
A bird that has to find its treat gets more out of it than one handed a piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bird bread?
A baked treat made from simple ingredients like wholemeal flour, oats and water, with vegetables, seeds, nuts or herbs mixed through. It's a way to offer variety and hide foods a bird might otherwise refuse.
Can I use different flour?
Yes. Wheat or rye flour both work, though the texture will change. Keep it plain and unbleached, without added raising agents or flavourings.
Can I add sugar or salt?
No. Neither belongs in bird food. The same goes for oil, butter, honey and dairy.
Can I add fruit and vegetables?
Yes, and it's one of the main reasons to make it. Grated Carrot, Broccoli, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Apple and berries all work. Wash everything first and keep fruit in smaller amounts.
Can I add egg?
Plenty of bird bread recipes do. If you're adding egg, cook the bread through thoroughly and treat the finished product as more perishable, keeping it refrigerated or frozen.
How often should I offer bird bread?
Once or twice a week as a treat. It's not a substitute for fresh food or a balanced daily diet.
How long does bird bread keep?
Up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge, or several weeks frozen in portions.
Can I freeze bird bread?
Yes, and it's the easiest way to handle a batch. Portion it before freezing and thaw at room temperature rather than in the microwave.
My bird won't eat it. What now?
Try smaller pieces, or crumble some over food they already eat. Some birds need to see something several times before deciding it counts as food.
