Are parrots and common chicken related ?

Miombo

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I know that parrots can eat meat, such as chicken meat and chicken bones.Arent they both birds, how come they can eat the meat of chicken.Does it not fall under cannibalism ? Are parrots and chickens related in any way ?
 

charmedbyekkie

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Being both birds is the same thing as saying "we're both mammals, so isn't it strange to eat beef?"

Avians (birds) are at the same level (class if we're technically speaking) as mammals. Then we go to the next tier and we're at "order", and parrots and chickens are different orders. Now, consider that humans are the same order as chimpanzees (hence some queasiness with eating them). Chickens and parrots aren't even the same order.

So if you get queazy about eating pork, beef, and other mammals, then yeah, worry about chickens and parrots.

Are you going to say a cougar eating a hare is cannibalism? That's another equivalent to show how diverse Aves (birds) are.

To give you another idea of how diverse we're talking, parrots of different species cannot interbreed - even parrots are that diverse amongst themselves.

Feel free to read more about taxonomy and classification :) biology is fun!
 
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Rozalka

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I know that parrots can eat meat, such as chicken meat and chicken bones.Arent they both birds, how come they can eat the meat of chicken.Does it not fall under cannibalism ? Are parrots and chickens related in any way ?
Parrots shouldn't eat meat
 

Cardinal

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Currently I have none, but I have the capacity to adopt a minimum and maximum of two budgies - preferably a bonded pair or two males.
Being both birds is the same thing as saying "we're both mammals, so isn't it strange to eat beef?"

Avians (birds) are at the same level (class if we're technically speaking) as mammals. Then we go to the next tier and we're at "order", and parrots and chickens are different orders. Now, consider that humans are the same order as chimpanzees (hence some queasiness with eating them). Chickens and parrots aren't even the same order.

So if you get queazy about eating pork, beef, and other mammals, then yeah, worry about chickens and parrots.

Are you going to say a cougar eating a hare is cannibalism? That's another equivalent to show how diverse Aves (birds) are.

To give you another idea of how diverse we're talking, parrots of different species cannot interbreed - even parrots are that diverse amongst themselves.

Feel free to read more about taxonomy and classification :) biology is fun!

Good point Charmed by Ekkie.

There are nearly 250 bird families including 4 Parrot families.

But having said that Chicken will never be a part of the natural diet of any Parrot by any stretch of imagination.
The only parrot that is known to eat the flesh of other warm blooded animals is the Kea from New Zealand.

Most of the the other 350+ species eat largely a plant based diet though some species may occasionally supplement their diet with insects. The Hyacinth Macaw is known to crack open some species of Apple snails and eat them.
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Some parrots do eat meat in the wild--- Cockatoos will eat skinks (a lizard) and grubs etc. Agree that chicken is not natural BUT...just saying, the term "meat" CAN apply to Umbrella Cockatoo's diets in the wild if they happen to stumble across it.
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
I know that parrots can eat meat, such as chicken meat and chicken bones.Arent they both birds, how come they can eat the meat of chicken.Does it not fall under cannibalism ? Are parrots and chickens related in any way ?
Parrots shouldn't eat meat

Some parrots do eat meat in the wild--- Cockatoos will eat skinks (a lizard) , other small lizards and crickets etc. Agree that chicken is not natural BUT...just saying, the term "meat" CAN apply to Umbrella Cockatoo's diets in the wild if they happen to stumble across it.
 

Rozalka

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I know that parrots can eat meat, such as chicken meat and chicken bones.Arent they both birds, how come they can eat the meat of chicken.Does it not fall under cannibalism ? Are parrots and chickens related in any way ?
Parrots shouldn't eat meat

Some parrots do eat meat in the wild--- Cockatoos will eat skinks (a lizard) , other small lizards and crickets etc. Agree that chicken is not natural BUT...just saying, the term "meat" CAN apply to Umbrella Cockatoo's diets in the wild if they happen to stumble across it.
But it's not their main diet. This meat what we eat parrots don't eat in the wild. Giving human food makes parrots life shorter.
 

Cardinal

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Currently I have none, but I have the capacity to adopt a minimum and maximum of two budgies - preferably a bonded pair or two males.
Some parrots do eat meat in the wild--- Cockatoos will eat skinks (a lizard) and grubs etc. Agree that chicken is not natural BUT...just saying, the term "meat" CAN apply to Umbrella Cockatoo's diets in the wild if they happen to stumble across it.


Please cite the reference. If there is video footage, would be great. Yes occasionally come Parrot species may eat Animal protein but even for those species the percentage would be about 2% of the overall diet or so.
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Some parrots do eat meat in the wild--- Cockatoos will eat skinks (a lizard) and grubs etc. Agree that chicken is not natural BUT...just saying, the term "meat" CAN apply to Umbrella Cockatoo's diets in the wild if they happen to stumble across it.


Please cite the reference. If there is video footage, would be great. Yes occasionally come Parrot species may eat Animal protein but even for those species the percentage would be about 2% of the overall diet or so.

I edited my original quote to say skinks and insects, but you quoted the unedited one.
Again- never said they should eat chicken--- my comment was based on the fact that insects and lizards are technically meat, and cockatoos in the wild WILL eat it when they can.

The following sources all mention lizards, skinks or an omnivorous diet:

here is a book that was published on the matter and it specifically mentions skinks:
https://books.google.com/books?id=F...CegQICxAB#v=onepage&q=cockatoo skink&f=false

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_cockatoo --> yes- I'm aware Wikipedia can be wrong, but this a a major entry that has been there for years.

https://lafeber.com/vet/basic-information-sheet-for-the-cockatoo/ <---Trusted source--also calls them omnivores


https://www.beautyofbirds.com/cockatooinfo.htm

White Cockatoo - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cacatua_alba/

https://perthzoo.wa.gov.au/animal/forest-red-tailed-black-cockatoo <--omnivores

https://itsnature.org/air/birds-air/cockatoo/ <---omnivores

https://www.livescience.com/28071-parrots.html

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/group/parrots/ <-- NAT GEO- omnivores




There are many more sources
 
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SailBoat

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While studying the diet foundation of New World Parrots (Parrots of the Americas) I continued to come across references of accidental intake of bugs and alike found chewing on the same greens, seeds, grains, nuts, and fruits. Also, during seasonal transitions when some sources are limited, New World Parrots have been seen chewing the bones they come across for its marrow.

Interesting first question from a new member.
 

noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
While studying the diet foundation of New World Parrots (Parrots of the Americas) I continued to come across references of accidental intake of bugs and alike found chewing on the same greens, seeds, grains, nuts, and fruits. Also, during seasonal transitions when some sources are limited, New World Parrots have been seen chewing the bones they come across for its marrow.

Interesting first question from a new member.

Cockatoos (at least some, according to literature and my experience) do it on purpose lol-- not shocked though, having seen Noodles try to eat insects before (not just out of curiosity--but genuinely trying to eat them---only certain types though)
 
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