Why do birds eat pebbles?

Answer 1

Birds sometimes eats very fine sand pebbles. This aids in the digestion of their food in their gullet. That's why if a person has a pet bird, it is best to have a little fine sand in a dish or at the bottom of the cage. You can purchase this fine sand at the petstore.

Answer 2

I live on a farm and have owned many kinds of birds ( chickens, ducks, turkies, peacocks, parrots, crows) I have learned and experianced that birds need to ingest pebbles if they are eating whole food, like whole grain, whole seeds, whole fruit and veggies. When the food is swallowed it goes into the birds gullet, the gullet's muscular wall squishes and and mixes the pebbles and food, causing the food to become a mush. But if they are eating dry processed pellet food that easily soak up water Like parrot food, dog food, chicken pellets etc they do not need pebbles because by the time it mixes with the juices in the gullet it is soft enough already. Even though instincts tell them to ingest pebbles anyway. Hope this answers your question.

Answer 3

Birds who eat their seed whole, like chickens, pigeons etc sometimes eat some sand to help with the digestion of their food.

This has led to the false belief that all birds need grit to digest tehir food. Many people, acting on this belief, give their pet parrots grit when really it does no good for them and can even lead to a whole lot of bad happening.

Parrots, budgies, cockatiels and other birds of the type take the shell of their seed before they eat it. This means they do not need grit.

But so many people will swear blind to you that budgies etc need grit. I guess it's these people who also still use sand paper perches and clip their bird's wings.

Answer 4

I've heard that the whole eating pebbles/sand to help with digestions has been proven false. They don't need it and I think birds just ingest them by accident. I'm sorry I can't remember my source. I'm pretty sure I learned it in college.

Answer 5

This is known as "rangle" they eat pebbles or grit to aid digestion and clear the crop.

Answer 6

Because pebbles taste good.

Answer 7

they eat pebbles to help them digest their food without the pebbles the seeds theyeat swell in the stomach undigested and will kill them.

Answer 8

i THINK its because the pebbles/rocks help to grind and break up the food in their stomach/gizzard better....interesting question!

Answer 9

Becase they don't have teeth to chew up their food.
The pebbles pulverize their food for them.

Answer 10

It helps with digestion