Chocolate is one of the most common household foods that is genuinely dangerous to birds. Whether you keep a budgie, cockatiel, parrot or any other pet bird, the answer is the same: chocolate should never be shared with a bird.
The short answer
No — birds should never eat chocolate. It contains two stimulants, theobromine and caffeine, that birds cannot process the way we can. Because most pet birds are so small, even a tiny amount can cause serious harm, and there is no safe portion.
Why chocolate is toxic to birds
Theobromine and caffeine belong to a group of chemicals called methylxanthines. In a bird's body they overstimulate the heart and nervous system, and a bird's tiny size means a dose that would barely affect a person can be dangerous or deadly to them. Dark chocolate and cocoa are the most concentrated and therefore the most dangerous, but milk chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate cake, biscuits, sweets and cocoa drinks are all off-limits too.
Warning signs of chocolate poisoning
Symptoms can come on quickly and may include a racing heartbeat, hyperactivity or restlessness, vomiting or regurgitation, diarrhoea, tremors or shaking, seizures, and in severe cases collapse and death. Because birds hide illness so well and can decline fast, you should never wait to see whether symptoms develop — act the moment you know chocolate has been eaten.
What to do if your bird ate chocolate
Do not try to treat this at home or wait it out. Remove any remaining chocolate, note roughly how much was eaten and what type, and phone an avian vet or emergency animal hospital immediately for advice. Fast action gives your bird the best chance. Keep your bird warm and calm while you arrange help.
Keeping chocolate away from birds
Keep all chocolate — and chocolate-flavoured foods and drinks — well out of reach, and be especially careful during holidays when chocolate is often left out. Never let a bird forage on a table or counter where chocolate crumbs may be, and make sure family and visitors know that "just a taste" is never safe. For a full list of foods to avoid, use our bird food checker, and see why avocado is just as dangerous.