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Pets Birds

Best Cockatiel & Cockatoo Food

Melinda Harris
Written by Melinda Harris
Updated August 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
ZuPreem Natural with Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Medium Birds
ZuPreem
Natural with Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Medium Birds
Essential Nutrition

An especially healthy pellet formulated to provide mid-sized birds with the nutrition and essential nutrients they need, and this is a fantastic foundation for any cockatoo or cockatiel diet.

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Essential Nutrition
Bottom Line

An especially healthy pellet formulated to provide mid-sized birds with the nutrition and essential nutrients they need, and this is a fantastic foundation for any cockatoo or cockatiel diet.

Pros

Corn, soybean meal, millet, oats, barley, and wheat are the first 6 ingredients. Pellet formula. Includes all of the vitamins and minerals cockatiels and cockatoos need. Promotes immune system health.

Cons

A solid all-around formula, but it represents 80% of your bird’s diet. Be sure to supplement it with seeds and fruit.

Best Bang for the Buck
Higgins Safflower Gold, Natural Blend
Higgins
Safflower Gold, Natural Blend
All-natural Mix

A surprisingly healthy mix for the price, which excludes commonly added junk foods; and instead uses tastier and more nourishing bits of bananas, coconut, and blueberries that your bird will love.

Check Price
Check Price at Amazon
All-natural Mix
Bottom Line

A surprisingly healthy mix for the price, which excludes commonly added junk foods; and instead uses tastier and more nourishing bits of bananas, coconut, and blueberries that your bird will love.

Pros

Safflower, white millet, oats, red milo, wheat, and canary seeds are the first 6 ingredients. No high-fat sunflower seeds or peanuts. No artificial colors or preservatives. Affordable.

Cons

It would be convenient if this mix of cockatiel food was available in larger bag sizes.

ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor, Medium Birds
ZuPreem
FruitBlend Flavor, Medium Birds
Loaded with Fruit

A vitamin-enriched and overall great deal for picky birdies, ZuPreem’s fruity diet of fresh and flavorful fruits is all but guaranteed to get your cockatiel or cockatoo to clean out its food bowl every day.

Check Price
Check Price at Amazon
Loaded with Fruit
Bottom Line

A vitamin-enriched and overall great deal for picky birdies, ZuPreem’s fruity diet of fresh and flavorful fruits is all but guaranteed to get your cockatiel or cockatoo to clean out its food bowl every day.

Pros

Corn, soybean meal, and wheat are the first 3 ingredients. Features high levels of tasty oranges, apples, grapes, and bananas. Balanced diet. Colorful pellet formula. Easy to digest.

Cons

While cockatiels and cockatoos are going to love this sweet meal, it includes a lot of sugar.

Kaytee Fiesta, Cockatiel Food
Kaytee
Fiesta, Cockatiel Food
For Healthy Digestion

Inexpensive, easy to digest, and a delicious range of tidbits including carrots, cantaloupe seed, and papaya; Fiesta’s cockatiel mix is sure to keep your bird buddy eager to dig out their favorites during every meal.

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Check Price at Amazon
For Healthy Digestion
Bottom Line

Inexpensive, easy to digest, and a delicious range of tidbits including carrots, cantaloupe seed, and papaya; Fiesta’s cockatiel mix is sure to keep your bird buddy eager to dig out their favorites during every meal.

Pros

Canary seed, white millet, safflower seed, oats, sunflower seed, and corn are the first 6 ingredients. Affordable. Available in 3 sizes. Contains a wide mix of yummy ingredients to excite your cockatiel.

Cons

This otherwise tasty cockatiel mix includes 4 different artificial food colorings.

Volkman Cockatiel with sunflower seeds
Volkman
Cockatiel with sunflower seeds
A Mix Cockatiels Love

Made from garden-fresh seeds, grains, and fruits; the fragrant orange oil will grab your cockatoo's or cockatiel’s attention, and its appetizingly wholesome ingredients will keep them coming back for more.

Check Price
Check Price at Amazon
A Mix Cockatiels Love
Bottom Line

Made from garden-fresh seeds, grains, and fruits; the fragrant orange oil will grab your cockatoo's or cockatiel’s attention, and its appetizingly wholesome ingredients will keep them coming back for more.

Pros

Millet, safflower seed, canary seed, oats, buckwheat, and sunflower seed are the first 6 ingredients. Flavorful pieces like papaya, peppers, and coconut. Relatively low-ingredient mix.

Cons

This isn’t a complete diet, so supplement it with fruits and treats. Contains 4 artificial colors.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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First Reviewed
October 29, 2021
30
Models
considered
26
Hours
researched
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Melinda Harris
Written by Melinda Harris

Updated August 2023

Wild cockatiels and cockatoos survive on a steady diet of seeds, berries, and other fruits in their native homeland of Australia, and their domesticated cousins should receive a similarly structured diet. Caring mid-sized parrot owners may be intimidated by the wide variety of cockatoo and cockatiel food available, but it becomes far easier when you focus on providing your beloved bird with a pellet or mix formula containing a healthy balance of vitamins, minerals, seeds, grains, and fruit. Just don’t forget to supplement their commercial diet with the occasional fresh fruit and treats, and your cockatiels and cockatoos will receive all of the nutrition they’ll need to thrive.

Our Top Picks
ZuPreem
Best of the Best
ZuPreem
Natural with Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Medium Birds
Bottom Line
An especially healthy pellet formulated to provide mid-sized birds with the nutrition and essential nutrients they need, and this is a fantastic foundation for any cockatoo or cockatiel diet.
Shop Now
Higgins
Best Bang for the Buck
Higgins
Safflower Gold, Natural Blend
Bottom Line
A surprisingly healthy mix for the price, which excludes commonly added junk foods; and instead uses tastier and more nourishing bits of bananas, coconut, and blueberries that your bird will love.
Shop Now
ZuPreem
Top Pick
ZuPreem
FruitBlend Flavor, Medium Birds
Bottom Line
A vitamin-enriched and overall great deal for picky birdies, ZuPreem’s fruity diet of fresh and flavorful fruits is all but guaranteed to get your cockatiel or cockatoo to clean out its food bowl every day.
Shop Now
Kaytee
Top Pick
Kaytee
Fiesta, Cockatiel Food
Bottom Line
Inexpensive, easy to digest, and a delicious range of tidbits including carrots, cantaloupe seed, and papaya; Fiesta’s cockatiel mix is sure to keep your bird buddy eager to dig out their favorites during every meal.
Shop Now
Volkman
Top Pick
Volkman
Cockatiel with sunflower seeds
Bottom Line
Made from garden-fresh seeds, grains, and fruits; the fragrant orange oil will grab your cockatoo's or cockatiel’s attention, and its appetizingly wholesome ingredients will keep them coming back for more.
Shop Now
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