Oats are one of the better everyday foods you can share with birds — nutritious, cheap and safe for pet birds and wild birds alike, as long as they are kept plain.
The short answer
Yes — birds can eat oats. Plain oats are a wholesome source of fibre and slow-release energy, and most birds take to them well. The key word is plain: no added sugar, salt, honey or milk.
How to feed oats to pet birds
Offer plain rolled or porridge oats dry, sprinkled over your bird's fresh-food chop, or lightly cooked in water and cooled — never cooked in milk or with sugar or salt. Oats are a great base to mix with chopped vegetables, and they are gentle on the digestion, which makes them handy during moulting or recovery.
Oats for wild birds
Dry porridge oats are an excellent, budget-friendly food for garden birds, especially in winter. One important rule for wild birds: only ever put out uncooked oats. Cooked or milky porridge can set hard around a bird's beak and quickly goes off outdoors, so keep it to dry oats scattered on a table or ground feeder.