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.
Datura stramonium
  (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 orientalis
Hydrangea		Hydrangea spp.
Iris			Iris spp.
Jack-in-the-pulpit		Arisaema triphyllum
Jerusalem cherry		Solanum pseudocapsicaum
Juniper			Juniper virginiana
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