Why

Kale is one of the best leafy greens you can offer a budgie, being nutrient-dense with plenty of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and useful calcium, all in a low-oxalate package. That combination makes it far better than watery lettuce and a great support for bones, feathers and general health. It is technically a brassica, so rather than relying on it alone, rotate it with other greens. Many budgies take to shredded kale readily once they are used to it.

How to feed it

Wash it thoroughly, remove the toughest part of the central stem, then tear or finely shred the leaf into budgie-sized pieces. Serve it raw to keep the most nutrients, or lightly steam and cool it if preferred. You can clip a whole leaf to the cage bars so your bird can forage at it, and remove any wilted remnants after a few hours.

How much & how often

A small shredded piece of leaf several times a week works well and can be part of the daily greens rotation. As a brassica, simply alternate it with non-brassica vegetables rather than feeding huge amounts.