These foods can be served in a variety of ways.

Grains include breads, pasta, rice, cereals, seeds and nuts. There is an incredible array to choose from in this category. Birds love the different colors and shapes that are available. This is not expensive food, but it is an excellent way to give a multivitamin supplement that will stick to the cooked food. Many can be cooked fresh, or frozen and served at a later date. Be aware that these foods should be removed when stale, and breads have a tendency to mold in humid, warm weather.

While sunflower seed has considerably bad press--for inducing hyperactivity and aggression--the simple truth is that it is a good seed (grain) to be fed in moderation.

I examined more than 400 macaws and Amazons in Costa Rica where sunflower is very difficult to get. Therefore, the people are forced to feed alternatives. Of interest was the low degree of observed feather plucking, and hardly any bird was obese, in direct contrast to many birds in the United States fed large amounts of this seed. I did believe that a fat supplement was necessary, especially in the upcoming breeding season. In the wild, macaws feed on almonds. These birds were housed on a macadamia nut farm, which made this source readily available.