Parrot - Feather Problems

General information

Feather loss is as much of a concern to bird owners as hair loss is to dog and cat owners. The feathers of a bird provide protection, insulation, flight, and visual signals to other pets. While feather loss in birds is usually not fatal (unless linked to Circovirus infection), it is nevertheless disturbing to owners. Occasionally, feather loss can be the sign of a serious internal condition.

What causes feather loss?

Feather loss either occurs because the bird is truly losing feathers or because the bird is picking its feathers. If the owner can tell which is occurring, it often helps narrow down the possibilities of what is causing the problem. As a simple rule, birds cannot pick feathers over the head – loss of these feathers is either due to picking by another bird or due to an internal problem (e.g. Circovirus infection or sinusitis).

Similarly circovirus is NOT a cause of feather picking.

Feather picking is often a management, dietary, or behavioural problem, especially in the larger species of birds that are tightly bonded to their owners (such as cockatoos, macaws, and African Grey parrots). However, feather picking can also be the result of a disease that causes irritation or pain for the bird as well dermatological or internal infections.

How do you diagnose the cause of feather loss?

Please note that skin parasites are a very rare cause of feather picking.

Because there are many causes of feather loss, often a multitude of diagnostic tests must be run. A good history (supplied by the owner) and a thorough physical examination are critical and may help narrow down the list of possibilities. Routine diagnostic tests include various blood tests, faecal tests for parasites, gram stains and/or cultures to check for yeast and bacteria, and radiographs (x-rays) to rule out various internal diseases. Often, a skin biopsy, feather pulp stain and skin culture are needed to get a definitive diagnosis. Sometimes, the tests fail to reveal a diagnosis and the vet will need to make a clinical judgement as to the best course of therapy for your bird.

In many cases there are several potential causes - medical, management, behavioural, etc. These will often all need to be put right in order to resolve the situation – in some cases cure is not possible. It is usually a long complicated situation that requires time and patience.