At the Bird Center of Michigan, we pride ourselves on giving our birds nutritious diets that consist of a variety of seeds, fruits, salads, and insects. A healthy diet ensures that the injured and orphaned birds in our care can put more energy into getting healthy and release-ready. One of the most important foods that we have at the Bird Center are live mealworms.  

Mealworms are a staple in the diet of the insect-eating patients here at the clinic. During the busy season, the birds can go through over 100,000 mealworms in a single week! As you can imagine, this high demand for mealworms is one of the Bird Center’s largest expenses. A single weekly shipment of mealworms can cost upwards of $1,000!  

There are several reasons why mealworms are an important addition to the diet of the omnivorous birds in our care. Mealworms supply healthy amounts of protein, fat, and fiber to both injured and young birds, as well as promoting natural foraging behaviors. For a young bird, there is nothing more interesting than a worm wriggling at their feet ready to be gobbled up! 

We purchase our mealworms from Rainbow Mealworms. By donating a Rainbow Mealworms gift certificate to the Bird Center of Michigan, you can personally help feed the birds at our clinic! If you’d like to purchase a gift certificate for us, click the “Gift Certificates” link at the top of their website, and enter [email protected] as the “Recipient’s Email.” Any amount helps us greatly, and we’re grateful for your support!

Donate a Gift Certificate