Do Birds Sneeze?

Pet birds do a lot of the same exact things that human beings do, whether it's dozing off for a cozy mid-afternoon nap, talking or even sneezing. Many different things can lead to sneezing in birds, including respiratory conditions, dust and even insufficient levels of moisture in the air.

  1. Causes for Bird Sneezing

    • Sneezing can indicate a host of different issues in a bird. Some of these issues are infection, not enough vitamin A intake, aerosol spray-induced discomfort, inadequate humidity in the surroundings and even attempts to get rid of accumulated dander and dust from the upper airways. Some birds' feathers produce high amounts of "feather dust," which could trigger sneezing; this is relatively commonplace in the avian world and is usually no cause for alarm. Take note that bird sneezing is often a small and quiet sound -- not always too easy to pick up on.

    Pay Attention

    • Although your pet bird's sneezing could be totally routine, it's still important to keep your attention on it. If your bird sneezes and it seems immoderate, it could be a symptom of a medical condition such as infection, and therefore requires a checkup from an avian veterinarian. Sneezing that is "wet" in any way also can be a sign of a problem -- like an overabundance of mucus. If his sneezing seems especially heavy, it also could be indicative of something that requires medical care.

    Respiratory Disease

    • Since sneezing can denote respiratory disease, a knowledge of other key symptoms can go a long way. If your bird's sneezing is abnormal or excessive in any way, be on the lookout for other things such as discharge from the eyes or nose, labored breathing, coughing, trembling, exhaustion, wheezing and puffed-out feathers. In some situations, birds might not display a lot of hints of illness, which is why regular veterinary care is so imperative. Schedule an immediate appointment with the vet as soon as you notice any respiratory disease symptoms -- waste no time.

    Copycat

    • Some pet birds are masterful copycats, so any "sneezing" you hear could actually be nothing more than talented imitation. If you yourself are sneezing and notice -- out of nowhere -- that your bird seems to be, too, he could just be mimicking you. If you approach him and notice that the sneezing is all sound and no substance, then you have your answer. Birds can imitate a wide assortment of diverse sounds, from the sound of the doorbell to ringing house phones.