A budgie, a cockatiel, a lorikeet and the magpie in the backyard do not eat the same thing, and the most common feeding mistakes come from treating them as if they do. This guide goes species by species through the birds Australian owners ask about most: what the base diet should be, what to add, what to avoid, and which products in our range match each one. Product details come from the makers' own listings.
Budgies
Budgerigars are seed eaters by nature, but a seed-only bowl lets them pick out the fatty favourites and leave the rest. The practical routine is a budgie-specific seed mix as the familiar base, a formulated pellet introduced alongside it so the diet is not all seed, and small daily serves of leafy greens and vegetables.
- Seed base: Green Valley Budgie in 2 kg, 5 kg and 20 kg, a mix put together specifically for budgerigars in cages and aviaries.
- Pellets to balance it: Trill Vitablend Pellets for Small Birds. Introduce pellets gradually next to the usual seed; some budgies take weeks to recognise a new shape as food.
- Foraging and treats: Whistler Budgie Health Bars and Whistler Budgie Pods give a budgie something to work at; millet spray is a treat, not a meal.
Cockatiels and other small parrots
Cockatiels, lovebirds and similar small parrots sit between a budgie and a large parrot in what they eat: a small-parrot seed blend rather than a budgie mix, the same case for adding pellets, and fresh food daily. Cockatiels in particular are prone to living on sunflower seed if it is offered freely, so a blend matters more than a bag of single seed.
- Seed base: Green Valley Small Parrot Mix (2 kg, 5 kg, 20 kg), a blend put together for smaller parrot species, or Trill Expert Cockatiel Mix.
- Pellets: Trill Vitablend Pellets for Small Birds suits this size of bird as well.
- Enrichment: Whistler Cockatiel & Lovebird Health Bars and the Cockatiel & Lovebird Hang Pod.
Lorikeets and other nectar feeders
Lorikeets are the species most often fed the wrong thing. Vetafarm's lorikeet diet page describes a wild diet of nectar and pollen, with grubs and other invertebrates for protein and only occasional seeds and fruit, which is why the makers in our range formulate dedicated lorikeet diets rather than adapting a parrot mix.
- Wet diet: Wombaroo Lorikeet & Honeyeater Food (300 g and 1.5 kg). Wombaroo describes it as a complete, balanced diet for all nectar-eating birds, listing lorikeets, lories, honeyeaters, wattlebirds, miners and sunbirds. It is a powder mixed with warm water: Wombaroo's direction is 3 scoops (30 g) to 80 mL of warm water to make 100 mL, prepared fresh.
- Liquid nectar: Vetafarm Blossom Nectar (500 mL and 1 L), a nectar-style diet formulated for nectar-feeding birds such as lorikeets, made in Australia by Vetafarm with veterinary input. The listing's direction is to prepare it according to the pack and offer it fresh daily as part of the bird's diet.
- Dry diet: Passwell Complete Lorikeet (500 g to 20 kg) for owners who want a dry option in the cage between wet feeds.
- Treat: Whistler Lorikeet Health Bars.
Wet nectar spoils quickly in warm weather, so make it fresh, offer it in a clean dish and remove what is left the same day.
Larger parrots: galahs, cockatoos, eclectus
Larger parrots need a larger-seed blend, more fresh food and far more to do with their beaks. Sunflower seed again is the trap; a blend keeps it in proportion.
- Seed base: Green Valley Parrot (2 kg, 5 kg, 20 kg) or Whistler Large Parrot Gourmet Blend.
- Variety and enrichment: Passwell Fruit & Nut, Whistler Large Parrot Percher and the Whistler Large Parrot Freeze Dried Medley.
Native and wild birds in the backyard
Feeding wild birds is a choice, not a necessity, and if you do it the aim is a small supplement to what they find themselves, not a daily meal. A few practical rules: feed small amounts, keep the feeder and the area under it clean, offer water, and never bread. Match the food to the bird.
- Seed eaters (rosellas, galahs, finches, doves): Whistler Small Wildbird & Parrot Block or the Parrot & Wildbird Pods, which make the birds work for it rather than emptying a tray.
- Nectar feeders (rainbow lorikeets, honeyeaters, wattlebirds): the same Wombaroo Lorikeet & Honeyeater Food used for pet lorikeets, offered fresh and removed the same day.
- Insect eaters (magpies, kookaburras, butcherbirds): dried mealworms in small amounts are a closer match to their natural diet than mince or bread.
Fresh food and water for every species
Whatever the base diet, fresh vegetables daily (leafy greens, capsicum, carrot) and fruit in small amounts round it out, washed and removed after a few hours. Clean water changed daily is non-negotiable; seed husks and droppings foul a bowl faster than most owners expect, especially in summer. Any bird that stops eating, fluffs up or changes its droppings needs an avian vet, not a diet change.
Frequently asked questions
Can lorikeets eat seed?
Lorikeets are nectar and pollen feeders, and the makers we stock formulate dedicated wet and dry lorikeet diets for exactly that reason. A seed mix is not the base diet for a lorikeet; use a formulated nectar or lorikeet food and offer fresh fruit alongside it.
What do budgies eat besides seed?
Formulated pellets introduced alongside their seed, and small daily serves of leafy greens and vegetables. Millet spray and health bars are treats on top, not the diet.
Do cockatiels need pellets?
A cockatiel can live on a small-parrot seed blend plus fresh food, but pellets are the simplest way to stop selective feeding on sunflower and give a more even nutrient spread. Introduce them gradually next to the seed the bird already knows.
How often should nectar be changed?
Daily. Blossom Nectar is offered fresh each day per its pack directions, and Wombaroo's powder is mixed fresh with warm water. Do not leave wet nectar out overnight.
What can I feed the magpies in my yard?
If you feed them at all, small amounts of dried mealworms are a closer match to an insect eater's natural diet than mince, bread or pet food. Keep it occasional and keep the area clean.
Shop next: Bird Food · Green Valley Budgie · Green Valley Small Parrot Mix · Wombaroo Lorikeet & Honeyeater Food · Vetafarm Blossom Nectar
Sources
Product facts in this guide are taken from the manufacturers' own pages listed below and from the product listings on this site; general care points are given as practical guidance, not veterinary advice. Last reviewed 17 September 2026.
- Vetafarm: Lorikeet Diet Facts
- Wombaroo: Lorikeet & Honeyeater Food
- Vetafarm: Bird Products