It is a well-known
fact that parrots are especially sensitive to environmental toxins.
Chemicals that normally are only irritating to humans and other
animals can be acutely toxic to parrots. The inhalation of carbon
monoxide exhaust or fumes from overheated Teflon products, which
would cause no apparent damage to humans or other animals, can be
fatal to parrots. Their immune systems constantly are challenged
by air pollution, exposure to heavy metals, water contamination
and the adulteration of their foods by pesticides. A shocking four
million tons of pesticides, numbering 20,000 different products,
are fogged into the air in the United States each year! We must
control additional exposure of our birds to these products by not
using any fumigants in their presence. Similarly we must educate
ourselves as to the level of contamination of the foods that they
consume.
Many of us
like to provide a bountiful harvest of vegetables and fruits along
with the other staples of our parrots' diets. Yet, produce is
the food group with the highest incidence of pesticide and chemical
residue, linked with potential cancer, neurological problems,
hormonal imbalances, and immune system disruptions. The likelihood
of toxicity is more serious for birds than for humans because
of their smaller size and their increased sensitivity.
Due to all
the unanswered questions that parrot breeders have concerning
infertility, dead in shell chicks, neurological problems, and
even feather plucking, I currently am researching the possible
contribution of pesticides and their "endocrine disruptors" to
all or any of these problems. We all remember the devastating
effects of DDT on wildbird populations, including Bald Eagles
that laid soft-shelled eggs until they almost became extinct.
Endocrine disruptors in wildlife populations have caused increased
mortality, failure to mature sexually, and inability to reproduce.
I believe that the hormonal disruption caused by pesticides may
prove to be just as devastating to our domestic parrot population
as DDT to wildlife.
Hormones
are chemical messengers working in near infinitesimal amounts,
molecular keys that fit into molecular locks at receptor sites,
carrying signals that trigger and regulate processes ranging from
formation of a fetus to development of gender, from behavioral
bias to the formation of reproductive organs. When these receptor
sites encounter synthetic chemicals that are enough like the hormones
it was expecting, the organism responds to the signal it thinks
it has gotten, with sometimes disastrous effects! Research on
wildlife populations, especially in the Great Lakes, has demonstrated
that endocrine disrupting chemicals profoundly impair animal reproduction
and development. Birds with deformed beaks, female birds that
nest with females, and fish eggs that do not develop all have
high levels of endocrine disruptors, PCB's, dioxins and DDE's.
Effects on wildlife cited by researchers include thyroid dysfunction
in birds and fish, decreased fertility in birds, fish, and mammals,
decreased hatching success and gross birth deformities in birds,
fish, and turtles, behavioral abnormalities in birds, and compromised
immune systems in birds and mammals.
Why, when
the foods that we give our parrots contain toxic levels of pesticides
with endocrine disruptors, should we be surprised at all the reproductive
and other problems they exhibit?
If you were
asked to list a dozen of the fruits and vegetables that you offer
your parrots most often, how many of these would be included?
l. Strawberries
2. Bell peppers (green and red)
3. Spinach (tied with 2)
4. U.S. grown cherries
5. Peaches
6. Mexican grown cantaloupe
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7. Celery
8. Apples
9. Apricots
10. Green beans
11. Chilean-grown grapes
12. Cucumbers
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The above list contains many of the foods that that we feed our
parrots daily. Unfortunately, according to a study by the non-profit
Environmental Working Group, they are the most toxic conventionally
grown fruits and vegetables! This report, Shopper's Guide
to Pesticides in Produce, is based on data from the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration studies. It found that more than half of
the health risks associated with pesticides are concentrated in
these twelve fruits and vegetables! Of the 42 fruits and vegetables
tested, strawberries were by far the most toxic. They were given
a toxicity score of 189 of a possible 200 points, far greater than
bell peppers and spinach, which tied at a score of 155. U.S. grown
cherries rated 154 and peaches 150. The least contaminated food
in this group, cucumbers, scored a disturbing117 of 200 possible
points.
Strawberry
growers everywhere use large amounts of pesticides, particularly
fungicides. The FDA detected thirty different pesticides
on strawberries, second only to apples with thirty-six. Based
on a two year sampling, strawberries were found to contain captan,
benomyl, vinclozolin, iprodione, and endosulfan. These pesticides
not only are carcinogenic in humans, but disrupt the endocrine
system as well. Unless one is lucky enough to locate a source
of organically grown strawberries, in my opinion, they never should
be fed to parrots! Other fruits with far lower pesticide residues
can be offered. Substitute blueberries, raspberries, oranges,
grapefruit, watermelon and kiwis.
Bell peppers
are more heavily contaminated with neurotoxic insecticides than
all other crops analyzed. Although green peppers are high in vitamin
C, and red peppers add vitamin A and carotenoids, there are several
less toxic alternatives. Substitute broccoli, romaine lettuce,
green peas, asparagus, brussel sprouts or carrots.
Spinach
contains DDT, permethrin, chlorthalonil and other carcinogenic
pesticides. Because of this and its calcium binding properties,
Popeye the Parrot would not be a very healthy specimen!
Substitute broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus and romaine lettuce.
Cherries
from the U.S. are three times more contaminated with pesticides
than their imported counterparts, which are among the cleanest
fruits and vegetables analyzed. Domestic cherries were found to
contain twenty-six different pesticides! Except for their marginal
amounts of vitamin C and their value as a treatment for gout,
they are not as nutritious as many other fruits. However cherries
DO contain a powerful compound known as ellagic acid that
counteracts carcinogens, so it is worthwhile to seek out imported
cherries. Substitute oranges, watermelon, blueberries, raspberries
and kiwi.
Peaches
are heavily contaminated with cancer causing fungicides and neuro-toxic
pesticides. Peaches contain low amounts of vitamins A and C, but
many other less contaminated fruits provide as many or more nutritional
benefits. Substitute nectarines, watermelon, tangerines, grapefruits,
oranges and kiwis.
Cantaloupes
from Mexico tested positive for two or more pesticides in forty-eight
percent of the samples, more than any other crop analyzed. Avoid
offering this food to parrots during January through April, when
Mexican imports are at their peak. Substitute U.S. cantaloupe
in season, papaya, nectarines and watermelon.
Celery
is a major source of exposure to neurotoxic pesticides. Eighty-one
percent of samples tested contained detectable residues. This
could mean that eight out of ten bites of celery that a parrot
takes are bites of pesticides. Considering the minimal amounts
of nutrition in celery, it is not worth the risk. Substitute
carrots, romaine lettuce, broccoli and radishes.
Apples
contain thirty-six different pesticides, more than any
other fruit or vegetable, according to FDA data! Who said an apple
a day keeps the vet away? Substitute pears, U.S. cantaloupe,
kiwi, watermelon, nectarines, bananas or citrus fruit.
Apricots
contain such high levels of pesticides, fourteen different kinds
to be exact, that it is better to feed our parrots other fruits
that are equally high in vitamins A and C and potassium. Substitute
nectarines, tangerines, U.S. cantaloupes, watermelon, oranges
and grapefruit.
Green
beans are a major source of carcinogenic fungicides, neurotoxins,
and endocrine disruptors. They provide only modest amounts of
nutrients anyway so unless we can find organically grown greens
beans, better leave them off our parrots' plates. Substitute
green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, asparagus
and potatoes.
Grapes
from Chile add a load of cancer causing and endocrine-disrupting
fungicides to our parrots' diets. From January through April,
a whopping ninety percent of the grapes sold in the U.S. are from
Chile, where growers use less sophisticated pest control techniques
than U.S. growers. Substitute domestic grapes in season.
Cucumbers
contain unacceptable levels of Dieldrin, an extremely carcinogenic
pesticide that was banned in the U.S. over twenty years ago. Unfortunately
it is persistent in the soil and is taken up by cucumbers. One
of every fourteen cucumber samples from across the U.S. and Mexico
contained this highly toxic compound. Substitute carrots, romaine
lettuce, broccoli or radishes.
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Now that
we know the twelve most contaminated foods, here are some foods
that are low in pesticides and high in vitamins, minerals, and
carotenoids.Sweet potatoes, broccoli, watermelon and brussel
sprouts provide lots of vitamins, carotenoids, and minerals,
along with relatively few pesticides.
To complement
the twelve most contaminated crops, The Environmental Working
Group compiled a list of the twelve cleanest crops. Ironically,
avocados which are poisonous to parrots, are the very cleanest
food that was tested! Onions, and green onions are not generally
considered suitable parrot foods either, so these three foods
are not included in the list below. These nine foods rank from
only 14 of a possible 200 points in toxicity for corn, to 49 for
broccoli. These are the lowest contamination scores of
the fruits and vegetables commonly fed to parrots.
l. Corn
2. Sweet potatoes
3. Cauliflower
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4. Brussel sprouts
5. Grapes (U.S.)
6. Bananas
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7. Plums
8. Watermelon
9. Broccoli
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We are fortunate indeed that corn, a big favorite of many species
of parrots, is one of the least toxic foods available. Sweet potatoes
are one of the most nutritious foods on earth, sometimes referred
to as the perfect food, and it too is a favorite of many parrot
species. Broccoli is another super food and if our birds don't like
it raw, often they will enjoy it lightly steamed. We also can feed
grapes and cantaloupes safely if we give them in season, from May
through December.
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As disturbing
as the news is of widespread toxicity in our fresh foods, according
to the Environmental Working Group, the picture is actually much
bleaker than painted by the FDA data. Some of the foods listed
as the least contaminated have incredibly high contamination rates
if they come from certain countries. Examples are pears from Korea,
blackberries and green peas from Guatemala, peas from China, kiwis
from Chile, carrots and leaf lettuce from Mexico, and green onions
and tomatoes from the United States. Farmers must contend with
some 80,000 plant diseases, 30,000 species of weeds, 1,000 species
of nematodes and more than 10,000 species of insects, so the problem
of pesticide residues is not likely to end soon. Every year 100-150
million pounds of pesticides that cannot be used in the United
States are exported for use in other countries. The foods that
are treated with these banned chemicals are then imported back
into the United States, to be sold at grocery stores nationwide.
It is the recommendation of the EWG that we buy organic produce
whenever possible!
Common sense
practices can somewhat reduce pesticide residues on fresh fruits
and vegetables. The USDA recommends that produce be washed under
tap water before serving. Consumers should peel away and discard
outer leaves, skin or rinds. Certain hardy vegetables, like potatoes
and carrots, should be scrubbed if the fiber-rich skins are to
be given to parrots.
The twelve
most contaminated fruits and vegetables represent the majority
of the health risks from pesticides that cause cancer, neurotoxic,
and endocrine effects. We should minimize or eliminate these foods,
and maximize the amount of foods with the least toxicity. By so
doing, and by using organically-grown produce whenever possible,
we can vastly reduce the amount of dangerous pesticides that we
feed our parrots.
One way to
provide inexpensive, organically-grown foods to our parrots is
to start SPROUTING! Sprouts are live food which our parrots are
biologically adapted to consume, high in enzymes, extremely nutritious,
easy to grow, and best of all, uncontaminated by pesticides and
other chemicals! When we grow them ourselves, we can be certain
that they are pesticide free. By becoming informed and by diminishing
this very real threat to our parrots, we can help them to achieve
the level of health and longevity that they so richly deserve!
Winged Wisdom Note: Carolyn
has written for numerous publications and maintains an extensive
collection of articles and information about Eclectus and other
parrots at the Land of Vos web site: /www.landofvos.com
She also owns a busy Email list of 1,700 Eclectus lovers from
around the world. To join The Eclectus Connection, go here: http://parrottalk.com/mlist1.html
