Fish and Chips: Opportunistic Carnivory and Geophagy in Parrots

Psittacine birds (Psittaciformes) are typically regarded as frugivorous or granivorous, yet some species exhibit opportunistic feeding behaviours. This study aims to describe opportunistic carnivory and geophagy in parrots housed at Sardar Patel Zoological Park (SPZP), India. Opportunistic behaviours were recorded during routine feeding and enclosure maintenance, with dietary choices, aggressive interactions, and faecal examinations documented to assess health. Indian ring-necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri) repeatedly consumed fish provided for piscivorous birds, while galah cockatoos (Eolophus roseicapilla), blue and gold macaws (Ara ararauna), rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus), and African lovebirds (Agapornis sp.) engaged in soil ingestion. All individuals remained healthy with no signs of deficiency or parasitism. These findings highlight dietary flexibility and exploratory foraging in parrots, emphasising implications for husbandry and understanding psittacine ecology.