Can I give my bird maple branches?

Vilatus

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2017
497
399
Michigan
Parrots
One Quaker, Nico
Hi everyone,

Iā€™m just wondering if it would be appropriate to give my budgie some maple branches. The tree needs a trimming and I thought he might like them. We donā€™t use any pesticides on it, it gets cinnamon sprinkled at its base to ward off ants.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Depends on the type of maple. Some are safe and some are not. You also will want to bake it to kill off parasites, and strip the outer bark to remove the risk of fungi. Maples can carry a dangerous fungus on the bark...not to mention insects etc (hence baking and removing the bark).

I know this because I collected some maple branches for my bird and did a ton of research during that time lol! I know certain maple varieties are toxic, while some are not.
Sugar maples are safe if you handle the wood properly.
 
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2017
497
399
Michigan
Parrots
One Quaker, Nico
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
Depends on the type of maple. Some are safe and some are not. You also will want to bake it to kill off parasites, and strip the outer bark to remove the risk of fungi. Maples can carry a dangerous fungus on the bark...not to mention insects etc.


I think itā€™s a Sugar Maple. Green leaves, not a red. So if I wash, strip the bark, and bake it, it should be safe? As well of course thoroughly check it for any crawlers.

Edit: Itā€™s a silver maple!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Google the leaf varieties-- if you post a picture of the leaf I can help you ID it (it's more about shape than color). If it's not by a road that has run-off and if you bake it and strip bark, it's likely fine (like you said, you didn't use chemicals on it). Some people leave bark on tree branches, but it's a maple fungus that makes this riskier w/regard to maples specifically.
 
Last edited:
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2017
497
399
Michigan
Parrots
One Quaker, Nico
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
b3cf071d85565e1372f5fc9fffdcee11.jpg

Pretty sure itā€™s a silver maple. It has a fungus, all the trees here do the past few years, but if I take all the precautions it should be just fine I assume???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
b3cf071d85565e1372f5fc9fffdcee11.jpg

Pretty sure itā€™s a silver maple. It has a fungus, all the trees here do the past few years, but if I take all the precautions it should be just fine I assume???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am also wondering what disease it has, due to the spots on the leaves. I would have to research that further, as I am not sure if bacterial diseases or viruses can harm birds if the tree is infected.

EDIT---May not be a sugar maple..hold on.,...edges look too rough

Can you post a better closeup of the edges on the leaves?
 
Last edited:
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2017
497
399
Michigan
Parrots
One Quaker, Nico
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #7
b3cf071d85565e1372f5fc9fffdcee11.jpg

Pretty sure itā€™s a silver maple. It has a fungus, all the trees here do the past few years, but if I take all the precautions it should be just fine I assume???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It looks like a sugar/acer maple, but they are the variety that can harbor that fungus on the bark.
I am also wondering what disease it has, due to the spots on the leaves. I would have to research that further, as I am not sure if bacterial diseases or viruses can harm birds if the tree is infected.


From what I understand itā€™s called tar spot. Itā€™s not harmful to the tree really, just gross looking. But yeah, if you donā€™t think itā€™s something I can potentially kill by proper washing and stripping I definitely wonā€™t be giving anything to my baby.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2017
497
399
Michigan
Parrots
One Quaker, Nico
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
b3cf071d85565e1372f5fc9fffdcee11.jpg

Pretty sure itā€™s a silver maple. It has a fungus, all the trees here do the past few years, but if I take all the precautions it should be just fine I assume???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It kind of looks like a sugar/acer maple, but they are the variety that can harbor that fungus on the bark.
I am also wondering what disease it has, due to the spots on the leaves. I would have to research that further, as I am not sure if bacterial diseases or viruses can harm birds if the tree is infected.

EDIT---May not be a sugar maple..hold on.,...

Can you post a better closeup of the edges on the leaves?


711ef4c0b97ac9bfd770c6f6b2e9b72e.jpg

Hereā€™s another picture of some clean leaves!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
It may be a red maple (acer rubrum)...not sure if they are safe or not. The leaves can apparently poison horses.
vUJHAuJOZOqOc2Is7UBdfz7RIKhcdIiS54rg5GaIu4vbrePKoRWEzzOy7CGfeAKYbe6b4CM47_M8nnlXTKi3wvdfKGKPke5s2jI8qLiUL3QFScjQVFHf0avwvAFUq0M


I could be wrong in terms of identification-- I do not think it is a sugar maple but it could be something else besides the red maple (that's just a guess based on what I found)..Research before giving it to the bird-- see if you can get a confirmation ID-- university/state extension may be able to help you ID the tree based on the leaf.
 
Last edited:
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2017
497
399
Michigan
Parrots
One Quaker, Nico
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #10
It may be a red maple...not sure if they are safe or not.


Itā€™s never red, the leaves often fall off before they get red in the autumn. If that helps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Red maples don't always look red. Sugar maples usually have smoother edges.
 
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2017
497
399
Michigan
Parrots
One Quaker, Nico
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #14
I have a baby of this tree with nicer leaves.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
b56d51ecbe6ba13839c14d1d684f38a8.jpg
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
I'd email your extension office and see what they say- you can send them the adult and baby leaves and ask for help with an ID. From there, I would research toxicity. Mine was a sugar maple, so I knew it was safe (with bark removed) but I do remember that some types were not.
 
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2017
497
399
Michigan
Parrots
One Quaker, Nico
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #16
I'd email your extension office and see what they say- you can send them the adult and baby leaves and ask for help with an ID. From there, I would research toxicity. Mine was a sugar maple, so I knew it was safe (with bark removed) but I do remember that some types were not.


Ok, Iā€™ll try that. Sorry for the run around, the tree is ancient and was here well before us. I appreciate your help.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
In the meantime though, bring the branches into a place where they will be away from insects-- they start breaking down fast and you don't want these nasty wood-eating wasps to take it over.
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Could also be a silver maple..although that last picture makes me think it might not be. I'm thinking red maple.

silver-maple-leaf.jpg
 
Last edited:

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Here's another red maple leaf set that looks different from the first--again, just a guess...consult extension too:

tree-red-maple-leaf.jpg


and another

Kq0rsmXTZ5jsHjcke4o1_hBwYFYbFkX36PpFnfhiBAIlRc5d-R6fTmE039cCSSf7jG3G-O3s86yvKJAYBLKvBQp0LIGpVdxHNgPgbrhTP69cPLPYAs4X
 
OP
Vilatus

Vilatus

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2017
497
399
Michigan
Parrots
One Quaker, Nico
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #20
In the meantime though, bring the branches into a place where they will be away from insects-- they start breaking down fast and you don't want these nasty wood-eating wasps to take it over.


I think for now Iā€™m just going to recycle the branches. Itā€™s a huge tree so thereā€™s plenty to go around. Iā€™m really unsure about what it is right now and donā€™t have anywhere to store them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top