copper

Article 

Nutritional Management of Liver Disease in Birds

In mammals, chronic liver disease is often associated with decreased intake of food, mainly due to anorexia, nausea, and vomiting, as well as taste abnormalities, and the same appears to be true for the avian patient. Chronic liver disease may also lead to maldigestion and malabsorption, as well as metabolic abnormalities such as increased protein and lipid catabolism, glucose intolerance, depletion of hepatic glycogen stores, and decreased glucose oxidation. Therefore chronic liver disease may lead to significant malnutrition and weight loss, particularly in patients with severe hepatic dysfunction…

Article 

Heavy Metal Poisoning in Birds

Heavy metal poisoning in birds most commonly occurs from the ingestion of substances containing lead, or less commonly zinc.

Lead

Acute heavy metal toxicity is occasionally seen in companion parrots that ingest or chew on objects containing metal because of their curious nature and innate desire to forage. Chronic lead poisoning most frequently affects free-ranging wildlife, such as ducks, geese, swans, and loons. Lead toxicity also occasionally occurs in upland game birds, such as mourning doves, wild turkey, pheasants and quail. Lead poisoning has also been reported in raptors from the ingestion of lead-contaminated prey. Bald eagles have repeatedly been shown to be more sensitive to lead toxicity than other wild avian species, including red-tailed hawks, swans, and turkey vultures .