The Recommended Adult Starling and Sparrow Diet.
	Adult starlings require a high animal protein diet and the following diets are both highly acceptable. If you have a baby starling that is not yet eating on it's own please refer to the Baby starling information page. A starling is ready to move on to the adult diet once he/she has been eating on their own for at least 2 weeks. Clean water should be provided at all times. The water tubes used for pet birds are highly recommended to prevent it from becoming soiled. Water should be changed at least twice per day. The first recommended diet is the Mazuri Insectivore Diet and is a complete balanced diet. You should also provide 1 hard boiled or scrambled egg with a little mashed carrot and apple sauce/shavings/pieces on the side for added protein and vitamins. Remove any of the egg mixture after 2 hours to prevent the bird from consuming spoiled food.   The other recommended diet is based on a dog/cat food that has at least 28% or more protein, 9% - 12% fat. Also is it very important that the first ingredient be a type of meat (preferably chicken). Please check product ingredients and analysis. The food can be served dry or moist. If dry you may need to grind it in smaller pieces. Mix this with either poultry mash or soft bill pellets. You should also add the hard boiled egg mixture (listed in above diet) in a separate dish once per day. Remove any uneaten egg mixture after 2 hours to prevent the consumption of spoiled food. The wet mixture must be changed to a fresh bowl at least twice per day to prevent it from becoming sour. The moist dog food mixture may be made in larger quantities, seperated into individual portions and frozen for later use. Thaw in the misrowave as needed and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. For adult sparrows you will also need to offer a small seperate dish of seed. The best to use is the kaytee formula for finches. Healthy Treat foods for adult starlings and sparrows Chicken : shredded or cut in small bites (fully cooked) Berries: Any kind, but avoid giving cherry pits Tuna : fully cooked small bites (if from the can be sure to rinse to remove any added salt) Carrots / sweet potatoes / beets : may be steamed or shredded Small broccoli florets : raw or cooked Eggs : Hard boiled or scrambled in the microwave (no added grease as in frying) Organic dandelion leaves: very high in vitamin A. (picked fresh is not recommended due to chances of pesticides, best to purchase them from your local grocery store). Greens : turnip , beet , kale or celery leaves Fresh or frozen vegetables: peas , corn , green beans or tomatoe dices Fruits , berries and juices : slice larger fruit into small pieces (may also give freeze dried fruit) Figs or raisens : highly nutritous Bean sprouts : aids in digestion Yogurt : plain or with fruit only (no sugars , artificial sweetners or colors) Multi-grain enriched breads : make sure the product reads whole grain (do not use light bread, it has no nutritional value.) Nuts and legumes : finely chopped Crickets : best are the ones fed a high calcium diet Cooked or freeze dried caterpillars : purchased at exoticnutrition.com Foods that must be avoided Earthworms : carry a parasite ( gapeworm) Rhubarb leaves : toxic Alchohol : this includes wines, grain alchohol and malt beverages (no alchohol or achoholic beverages are acceptable!) Caffiene : including from coffee , sodas or teas Chocolate : toxic Candy : starlings are sucrose intolerant Excess salt or salty foods : salt should be kept at very low levels Raw meat or egg : may carry salmonella or other disease Avocado : toxic House plants : this includes plants found growing outside that are not known to be safe Milk : they are lactose intolerant and cannot digest the large proteins found in milk either Flys or mosquitoes : may carry gardia and other diseases