The following article is used with the written permission of the author, Gillian Willis, pharmacist and toxicologist.


Plants Considered
Potentially Toxic to Birds



Introduction:
Plants listed as poisonous to humans and animals should be considered potentially toxic to birds. Some avian species, however, reportedly have died from ingestion of a toxic plant, while others have experienced no untoward effects. The following should be considered potentially toxic to birds:

 Amaryllis  ............  Amaryllidaceae
 Avocado  ............  Persea americana
 Azalea  ............  Rhododendron canadensis

 Black locust

 ............  Robinia pseudoacacia
 Buckthorn  ............  Rhamnus spp.
 Buttercup  ............  Ranunculus spp.
 Caladium  ............  Caladium spp.
 Calla lily  ............  Zantedeschia aethiopica
 Castor bean  ............  Ricinus communis
 Cherry  ............  Prunus spp.
 Clematis  ............  Clematis spp.
 Daffodil  ............  Narcissus spp.
 Daphne  ............  Daphne spp.
 Daturastramonium
   (Angel's trumpet)
 
 ............
 
 Datura spp.
 Delphinium  ............  Delphinium spp.
 Dieffenbachia
   (Dumbcane)
 ............  Dieffenbachia spp.
 Elephant's ear  ............  Colocasia spp.
 English ivy  ............  Hedera helix
 Euphorbia cactus  ............  Euphorbia spp.
 Fig (Weeping fig)  ............  Ficus benjamina
 Foxglove  ............  Digitalis purpurea
 Holly  ............  Ilex spp.
 Horse chestnut  ............  Aesculus spp.
 Hyacinth  ............  Hyacinthus orienta
 Hydrangea  ............  Hydrangea spp.
 Iris  ............  Iris spp.
 Jack-in-the-pulpit  ............  Arisaema triphyllum
 Jerusalem cherry  ............  Solanum pseudocapsicaum
 Juniper  ............  Juniper virgin
 Larkspur  ............  Delphinium spp.
 Lily-of-the valley  ............  Convallaria majalis
 Lobelia  ............  Lobelia spp.
 Marihuana  ............  Cannabis sativa
 Mistletoe  ............  Phoradendron villosum
 Monkshood  ............  Aconitum spp.
 Narcissus  ............  Narcissus spp.
 Nightshade  ............  Solanum spp.
 Oleander  ............  Nerium oleander
 Philodendron  ............  Philodendron spp.
 Poinsettia  ............  Euphorbia spp.

 Pokeweed

 ............  Phytolacca americana
 Potato (sprouts,
   green skins)
 
 ............
 
 Solanum tuberosum
 Pothos  ............  Eprimemnum aureum
 Privet  ............  Ligustrum volgare
 Rhodendron  ............  Rhododendron spp.
 Rhubarb  ............  Rheum rhaponticum
 Skunk cabbage  ............  Symplocarpus foetidus
 Snowdrop  ............  Ornithogalum umbellatum
 Tobacco  ............  Nicotinia spp.
 Virginia creeper  ............  Panthenocissus quinquefolia
 Weeping fig  ............  Ficus benjamina
 Wisteria  ............  Wisteria spp.
 Yew  ............  Taxus breviflora

List prepared by:
Gillian Willis
Vancouver, BC


Copyright © Gillian A.Willis
Permission to re-use any part of this text (whole or in part)
must be obtained from the author