reminder: All articles and posts on my website are written by me and from my own perspective (Sophie The Pigeon) and often I'm typing it aimed at other birds 😉

Pigeon & Bird Articles – Toxic Plants

One of the overlooked dangers for us birds in your human homes are plants. We birds often like to sit in/on plants or even eat from them, however lots of the plants you humans bring into your home can be dangerous to us birds. Most of these plants will ‘just’ make us (very) sick, but there are plants which can actually kill us.

This list published here is composed out of lots of different sources, including other websites, veterinarian info, plant information and/or books and more of the alike. Do note that some plants listed here disclaim on their Wikipedia page that they are actually toxic to birds, but since many other sources (including veterinarians, animal hospitals etc) do warn for these plants, me and my pet humans decided to list them anyway.

It’s obviously better to be safe than sorry. It is of course also very well possible that we have missed (quite) a few plants on this list, which might also be toxic or dangerous to us birds. If you are in doubt about our safety, then always do your own additional research in regards to your plants and/or birds.

At the same time you should also know that not all plants on this list are toxic, some of them can/will be harmful in other ways for us birds. They can for example cause blockages, cause irritation to our eyes, cause blisters or other injuries.

We did not included information about the toxicity of each plant, and nor did we included information about the symptoms for each plant. This simply because it would be a impossible task to complete (and verify) for each different plant and bird.

A

Acokanthera
Amaryllis
American Yew / Canadian Yew / Taxus canadensis
Andromeda Japonica / Japanese andromeda / Pieris japonica
Anemone (Buttercup)
Angel’s Trumpet / Brugmansia
Apricot (The pit and the plant)
Arum Lily / Zantedeschia
Arrowgrass / Triglochin maritima
Asparagus Fern
(Autumn) Crocus / Crocus nudiflorus
Avocado (The fruits and the plant itself)
Azalea

B

Baby’s Breath / Gypsophila
Baby Doll Ti / Cordyline terminalis
Balsam Pear / Momordica charantia
Baneberry / Actaea
Bean Plants
Belladona / Atropa belladonna
Bird of Paradise / Strelitzia reginae
Bittersweet / Woody Nightshade / Solanum dulcamara
Bitter Melon / Momordica charantia
Bitter-Berry / Chokecherry / Prunus virginiana
Bitter Rubberweed / Western Bitterweed / Hymenoxys odorata
Black Elderberry / Sambucus
Black Locust / Robinia pseudoacacia
Bleeding Heart / Heart Plant / Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Blister Bush / Notobubon galbanum
Bloodroot / Sanguinaria
Blue Bonnets
Borage
Bottle Brush / Callistemon
Buxus / Boxwood
Bracken Fern / Pteridium
Branching Ivy / English Ivy / Hedera Helix
Broom Grass / Thysanolaena
Buckeye / Aesculus glabra
Buckthorn / Rhamnus
Buddhist Pine / Podocarpus macrophyllus
Bulb Flowers
Burdock / Arctium
Buttercup / Ranunculus

C

Candelabra Tree / Euphorbia ingens
Caladium
Calamus / Acorus calamus
Calico Bush / Kalmia latifolia
Calla Lily
Camel Bush / Cattle Bush / Trichodesma zeylanicum
Canna / Canna Lily
Cannabis / Marijuana / hemp
Cardinal Flower / Lobelia cardinalis
Cassava / Manihot esculenta
Castor Bean / Castor Oil Plant / Ricinus
Catclaw / Senegalia greggii
Cerbera odollam / Suicide Tree
Ceriman / Monstera deliciosa / Hurricane Plant
Chalice Vine / Trumpet Vine / Solandra
Chaparral / Larrea tridentata
Cherry Trees (Seeds and the tree)
China Doll / Radermachera sinica
Chinaberry Tree / Melia azedarach
Chinese Evergreen / Aglaonema
Chinese Lantern / Physalis alkekengi
Christmas Cactus / Schlumbergera
Christmas Candle / Senna alata
Christmasberry / Ardisia crenata
Christmas Rose / Helleborus niger
Chrysanthemum / Chrysanths
Cineraria
Clematis
Cocklebur / Xanthium
Coffee Plant / Coffea arabica
Coltsfoot / Tussilago farfara
Comfrey / Symphytum
Copperweed / Euphrosyne acerosa
Coral Plant / Jatropha podagrica
Cordatum (Philodendron)
Corn-cockle / corncockle / Agrostemma githago
Corn Plant / Dracaena fragrans
Corn Lily / Veratrum californicum
Cowslip / Primula veris
Coyotillo / cacachila / Humboldt coyotillo / Karwinskia humboldtiana
Crocus
Crotalaria / Cat’s Bell / Rattlebox / Rattle Box / Rattleweed / Crotalaria Spectabilis
Croton / Codiaeum variegatum
Crown of Thorns / Euphorbia milii
Crown Vetch / Securigera varia
Cycad
Cyclamen

D

Devil’s Ivy / Epipremnum aureum
Dieffenbachia / dumb cane / leopard lily
Daffodil / Narcissus
Daisy / Bellis Perennis
Daphne
Dallisgrass / Dallas Grass / Sticky Heads / Paspalum dilatatum
Datura
Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Deadly Nightshade / Atropa belladonna / belladonna
Death Cap Mushrooms / Amanita phalloides
Deathcamas
Dracaena Draco / Dragon Tree / Drago
Dutchman’s Breeches / Dicentra cucullaria
Delphinium
Dooder / Dodders / Cassytha

E

Eggplant Leaves
Elderberry / Sambucus
Elephant’s Ear / Taro / Colocasia
Emerald Feather Fern / Asparagus Densiflorus
English Holly / Ilex aquifolium
English Ivy / Hedera Helix
English Yew / Taxus baccata
Ergot (Fungus)
Eucalyptus
Euphorbia
European Pennyroyal / Mentha pulegium
Euonymus / Spindle Tree
Evergreen

F

False hellebore / Veratrum
Felt Plant
Fescue / Festuca
Fiddle-leaf fig / Ficus lyrata
Fig (fruit of Ficus carica)
Firethorn / Pyracantha
Flame Tree / Alloxylon flammeum
Flamingo Plant / Anthurium
Fluffy Ruffles (Fern) / Nephrolepis exaltata / Sword Fern
Fly Agaric Mushrooms / Amanita muscaria (Red & White mushroom)
Four o’clock / Mirabilis jalapa
Foxglove / Digitalis
Fruit Salad Plant / Monstera deliciosa / Swiss cheese plant / split-leaf philodendron

G

Geranium
German Ivy / Delairea odorata
Germander/ Teucrium
Georgina gidgee / Georgina gidyea / poison gidyea / Acacia georginae
Giant Honey Flower / kruidjie-roer-my-nie / Melianthus major
Ginkgo (biloba)
Ginseng
Glacier Ivy / Branching Ivy English Ivy / Hedera Helix
Gladiola / Gladiolus
Glory Lily / Gloriosa superba
Golden Chain/ Golden Rain / Laburnum anagyroides
Golden Ragwort / Life Root / Packera aurea
Goldenseal / Hydrastis canadensis
Greasewood / Seepwood / Saltbush / Sarcobatus / Sarcobatus Vermiculatus
Ground Cherry / Husk Tomatoes / Physalis
Ground-Ivy / Greeping Charlie / Creeping Jenny / echoma hederacea

H

Halogeton / Saltlover / Aral Barilla / Halogeton glomeratus
Hawaiian Baby (Woodrose) / Argyreia nervosa
Hawaiian Ti / Cordyline fruticosa
Hairy Bush-pea / Pultenaea villosa
Heavenly Bamboo / Nandina domestica / sacred bamboo
Hedera Helix
Heliotropium / Helioptrope
(Poison) Hemlock / Conium maculatum
Henbane / Hyoscyamus niger
Hibiscus
Hogwort / goatweed / woolly croton / Croton capitatus
Holly
Honey Locust / Gleditsia triacanthos
Honeysuckle
Horse Beans / Broad Bean / Fava Bean / Vicia Faba
Horsebrush / Tetradymia
Horse Chestnut / Aesculus
Horse Nettle / Solanum
Horsetail / Equisetum
Hyacinth
Hydrangea

I

Impatients (the leafs)
Indian Laurel / Ficus microcarpa
Indian Rubber Plant / Ficus elastica
Indian Turnip / Jack-in-the-pulpit / Arisaema triphyllum
Iris
Ivy (Branching Ivy, Boston Ivy, Devil’s Ivy, English Ivy, German Ivy, Glacier Ivy, Needle Point Ivy) / Hedera Helix

J

Jack-in-the-pulpit / Arisaema triphyllum
Jequirity Bean / Rosary pea / Abrus precatorius
Jerusalem Cherry / Solanum pseudocapsicum
Yellow Jessamine / Carolina Jasmine / Gelsemium sempervirens
Jimson weed / Datura stramonium
Jonquil / Narcissus jonquilla / rush daffodil
Johnson grass
Juniper
Juniper Berry
Japanese Yew / Taxus Cuspidata
Jasmine

K

Kentucky Coffeetree / Gymnocladus dioicus
Kidney Bean / Common Bean / Phaseolus vulgaris
Kleingrass / Blue Panicgrass / Panicum coloratum

L

Lantana
Larkspur / Delphinium
Lily (Easter, tiger, oriental etc)
Lily-of-the-valley / Convallaria majalis
Lima Bean / Wax Bean / Madagascar Bean / Sieva Bean / Phaseolus lunatus
Liquorice
Lobelia
Locoweed / crazyweed
Locusts / Robinia pseudoacacia
Logania albiflora
Lords-and-Ladies / Arum maculatum / Cuckoo pint / cuckoopint
Lupine / Blue Bonnets / Lupinus

M

Marble Queen / Epipremnum aureum / Devil’s Ivy
Marshmallow / Small Flowered Mallow / cheeseweed / Malva parviflora
Manchineel / Manchineel Tree / Hippomane mancinella
Mango (Plant)
Mayapple / Mandrake / Podophyllum
Meadow Saffron / Autumn Crocus / Naked Ladies / Colchicum autumnale
Mescal Bean /Dermatophyllum
Mexican Breadfruit / Monstera deliciosa
Milkvetch / Astragalus
Milky Mangrove / poisonfish tree / river poison tree / Excoecaria agallocha
Milkweed / Asclepias
Miniature Croton
Mistletoe
Mock Orange / Philadelphus
Monkshood / Aconitum / Aconite / Devil’s Helmet / Blue Rocket
Money Tree / Money Plant / Monguba / French Peanut / Pachira aquatica
Moonseed / Menispermum canadense
Morning Glory (A bit vague, but just don’t take any risks here!)
Mountain Laurel / Kalmia latifolia
Mushrooms from the wild (ANY! just do not take ANY risk!)

N

Natal Plum / Carissa macrocarpa
Narcissus
Needle Point Ivy / Hedera Helix
Nephthytis
Nettles
Nightshades / Solanaceae
Norfolk Pine / Conifer / Araucaria heterophylla
Nutmeg

O

Oak
Oleander / Nerium

P

Parsnip
Parsley (when given too much, several bird types do love it though)
Peace Lily / Spathiphyllum
Peach (pits and the plant)
Pear (seeds and the plant/tree)
Pencil Cactus / Pencil Tree / Euphorbia tirucalli
Pennyroyal / Mentha pulegium
Peony
Periwinkle / Creeping Myrtle / Vinca minor
Peyote
Philodenron
Pigweed (Vague, just be careful here and don’t take any risks)
Plum (pit and the plant/tree)
Plumosa Fern / Asparagus Fern
Poinsettia / Christmas Star Plant / Kerstster (In Dutch)
Poison Hemlock / Conium maculatum
Poison Ivy
Poison Oak / Toxicodendron diversilobum
Poison Sumac / Toxicodendron vernix
Pokeweed / Phytolacca americana
Pokeroot / Pokeweed /Phytolacca americana
Poncirus / Trifoliate orange
Poppies / Poppy / Papaver / Klaproos (in Dutch)
Potato (shoots, sprouts and the leaves)
Pothos
Precatory Bean / Abrus precatorius
Primrose / Primula / Primula vulgaris
Privet
Purple Sesbania / Purple Sesbane / Sesbania Punicea

R

Ragwort / Stinking Willie / Tansy Ragwort / Smegplant / Benweed / Jacobaea vulgaris
Rain Tree
Ranunculus / Buttercups / Boterbloempje (Dutch)
Red Maple
Rhodondendron
Rhubarb leaves
Rice Flower / White Dogwood / Sago Bush / Ozothamnus diosmifolius
Ribbon Plant / Dracaena sanderiana
Rosary Peas / Abrus precatorius
Rubber Plant / Ficus Elastica

S

Sabi Star / Adenium obesum
Sage / Salvia officinalis
Sago Palm / Cycas
Sandbox Tree / Hura crepitans
Sassafras
Saw Palmetto / Serenoa repens
Schefflera
Shamrock Plant / Oxalis regnellii
Skunk Cabbage
Slender Rice Flower / Pimelea linifolia
Snap Dragon / Antirrhinum majus
Snakeweed / Gutierrezia
Sneezeweed / Orange Sneezeweed / Hymenoxys hoopesii
Snowdrop / Galanthus / Sneeuwklokje (in Dutch)
Snow-on-the-mountain / Euphorbia marginata
Solomon’s Seal / Polygonatum multiflorum
Sorrel (Spindle) Tree / Oxydendrum arboreum
Spring Parley / Turpentine Cymopterus / Cymopterus terebinthinus
Spurge
Star of Bethlehem / Ornithogalum umbellatum
String of Pearls / Senecio rowleyanus / Curio rowleyanus / Ewrtenplant (in Dutch)
Strychnine Tree / Strychnos nux-vomica
Summer Snowflake / Leucojum aestivum
Summer Pheasant’s-eye / Adonis aestivalis
Sweet Pea (the plant) / Lathyrus odoratus
Squirreltail Grass / Elymus elymoides
Squirting Cucumber / Exploding Cucumber / Ecballium

T

Taro Vine / Devil’s Ivy
Tansy
Thorn Apple / Datura stramonium
Tobacco
Tobacco Tree
Tomato Plant (green fruit and the plant itself)
Trumpet Vine / Campsis radicans
Tulip

V

Verbena
Vetch / Vicia
Virginia Creeper / Parthenocissus quinquefolia

W

Water Hemlock / Cicuta
Wattle / Acacia sensu lato
Waxberry
Weeping Fig / Ficus benjamina
Western Yew / Taxus brevifolia
White Cedar / Melia azedarach
Wisteria
Wild Radish / Raphanus raphanistrum
Wild Cucumber / Prickly Cucumber / Bur Cucumber / Echinocystis
Wormseed Wallflower / Wormseed Mustard / Erysimum cheiranthoides
Wormwood / Mugwort / Wormit / Artemisia absinthium

Y

Yam Bean Plant / Pachyrhizus erosus / jícama
Yellow Jasmine / Gelsemium sempervirens
Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow plant / Kiss me quick / Brunfelsia pauciflora
Yellow Bristle Grass / Yellow Foxtail / Pigeon Grass / Setaria pumila
Yellow Oatgrass / Golden Oat Grass / Trisetum flavescens
Yews
Yucca

DISCLAIMER
Me and my pet humans are no plant specialists, bioligists or botanical wonders, which means that we could have accidentally linked the wrong name/plant to the incorrect Wikipedia page, or that we for example (on purpose!) have chosen to link to a ‘plant family’ instead of the speciffic plant. The most important thing to keep in mind here though is: If the plant is listed here, it’s most likely a risk for us birds.

There where however also a few plants and/or flowers for which we could not find any toxicity reports, but nonetheless they where listed on a lot of animal hopsital and vetinarian websites as being a ‘major risk’. So it could be that there are some plants on the list which are ‘doubtful’ if they are toxic or not, but yet again we would like to say: Better safe than sorry.

Some websites might also list certain plants as toxic while they (after further research) turned out not to be toxic to us birds at all. Some animal hospital websites for example even list Aloea Vera as toxic, while this is not toxic to us birds. If you are however in doubt about a certain plant and having it around your bird(s), then either do your own additional research, or just don’t take any risks and ‘get rid of the plant(s)’.

Me and my pet humans have done A LOT of research to compose this list, but you should always do your own additional research when it comes to the safety of your birds (or other pets).