🪵 Woods for perches and chewing
Which branches are acceptable to cut for a perch or a chew toy, and which species to leave where they are.
This is not veterinary advice. If your bird has eaten something on this page, or is unwell, call an avian vet — do not wait for an answer here. Why this matters more than it sounds.
Look up any of the 42, A to Z
The list above is grouped by risk. This one is alphabetical, for when you know the name and want the verdict.
- Almond 🟢 Generally safe
- Apple 🟢 Generally safe
- Apricot 🟢 Generally safe
- Ash 🟢 Generally safe
- Beech 🟢 Generally safe
- Birch 🟢 Generally safe
- Black locust 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Boxwood 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Citrus 🟢 Generally safe
- Dogwood 🟢 Generally safe
- Elderberry 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Elm 🟢 Generally safe
- Fir 🟢 Generally safe
- Goat willow 🟢 Generally safe
- Guava 🟢 Generally safe
- Hazel 🟢 Generally safe
- Hemlock 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Hickory 🟢 Generally safe
- Holly 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Horse chestnut 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Laburnum 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Madrone 🟢 Generally safe
- Magnolia 🟢 Generally safe
- Nectarine 🟢 Generally safe
- Oak 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Oleander 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Papaya 🟢 Generally safe
- Peach 🟢 Generally safe
- Pear 🟢 Generally safe
- Pecan 🟢 Generally safe
- Pistachio 🟢 Generally safe
- Plum 🟢 Generally safe
- Plywood 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Poplar 🟢 Generally safe
- Privet 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Rhododendron 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Spruce 🟢 Generally safe
- Treated 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Vine maple 🟢 Generally safe
- Walnut 🟢 Generally safe
- Wisteria 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Yew 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
🔴 Dangerous / avoid 15 entries
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Black locust · Robinia pseudoacacia
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Boxwood · Buxus spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Elderberry · Sambucus spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Hemlock · Conium / Tsuga spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Holly · Ilex spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Horse chestnut · also called buckeye · Aesculus spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Laburnum · also called golden chain · Laburnum spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Oak · Quercus spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Oleander · Nerium oleander
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Plywood · also called particleboard, MDF
Glues and resins are not suitable for chewing or perches.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Privet · Ligustrum spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Rhododendron · also called azalea · Rhododendron spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Treated · also called varnished, painted wood
Preservatives, paint, and varnish make even an otherwise acceptable wood species unsafe.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
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Wisteria · Wisteria spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
-
Yew · Taxus spp.
Avoid as a perch or chewing branch; the plant is on a veterinary toxicity list or excluded by the branch guide.
LafeberVet: Toxic Plants ↗ LafeberVet: Plants and Branches for Your Bird ↗
🟢 Generally safe 27 entries
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Almond · Prunus dulcis
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Apple · Malus spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Apricot · Prunus armeniaca
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Ash · Fraxinus spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Beech · Fagus spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Birch · Betula spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Citrus · also called orange, lemon · Citrus spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Dogwood · Cornus spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Elm · Ulmus spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Fir · Abies spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Goat willow · also called weeping willow · Salix spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Guava · Psidium guajava
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Hazel · Corylus spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Hickory · Carya spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Madrone · Arbutus menziesii
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Magnolia · Magnolia spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Nectarine · Prunus persica var. nucipersica
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Papaya · Carica papaya
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Peach · Prunus persica
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Pear · Pyrus spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Pecan · Carya illinoinensis
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Pistachio · Pistacia vera
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Plum · also called prune · Prunus domestica
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Poplar · also called aspen · Populus spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Spruce · Picea spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Vine maple · Acer circinatum
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
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Walnut · Juglans spp.
Listed as an acceptable branch. Use only untreated, uncontaminated wood: scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry completely.
Sources
Every note on this page comes from one of these. They are veterinary references, and where they disagree the page follows the more cautious one.
The rest of the reference
The same directory, offline
The LunarKiri app carries all of this with a search box, works with no network, and adds weight tracking, a daily routine and first aid.