A Review on Parrot Gut Health: Insights into the Intestinal Structure, Microbiota Diversity, Influencing Factors, and Nutritional Strategies

The parrots, a highly intelligent avian species, possesses distinctive characteristics including remarkable cognitive abilities, strong mimetic capacity, and significant economic value as companion pets, with the scale of commercial captive breeding expanding considerably over recent decades. Intestinal health is critical for nutrient digestion and absorption, and serves as a primary barrier against pathogen invasion; thus, maintaining optimal gut function is essential for enhancing overall health and breeding performance. However, compared to other poultry species, research on the pivotal role of gut health in the breeding and management of parrots remains limited. This review summarizes the unique anatomical and physiological features of the parrot digestive system, the characteristics of its gut microbiota, and their interrelationship with intestinal health, and further discusses the significance of intestinal health for the overall well-being of parrots. Additionally, this review highlights emerging nutritional regulation strategies, particularly the application of probiotics and other functional additives for improving intestinal health, which will provide new insights into enhancing the health status of parrot populations and formulating management strategies for the parrot breeding industry.