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What foods do most parrots eat in the wild?

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Illustration of a rock parakeet (Pyrrhura rupicola) perched on a branch, showing green plumage with scalloped markings, a patch of red on the wing, and a dark beak. — Psittaciform Black-capped parakeet (*Pyrrhura rupicola*).

Parrots (order Psittaciformes) feed almost entirely on plant materials in the wild. Their specific diet often depends on their size and habitat:1

Smaller species: These typically consume grass seeds, berries, fruits, and the juices of blossoms.1
Larger species: These generally obtain fruits and nuts from trees, as well as bulbs, tubers, and roots from the ground.1

Many parrots also incorporate other food sources into their diets. When digging for roots or bulbs, they often capture larval and adult insects. Some species, such as the black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus), gnaw through bark to reach wood-boring beetles. Additionally, brush-tongued lorikeets specialize in feeding on nectar by crushing flowers and licking the juices, while tiny pygmy parrots may feed on fungi and arboreal termites.1

While most parrots are herbivorous, there are exceptions. The kea of New Zealand is known to feed on carrion and dead sheep, and it may occasionally attack sick or injured animals.1