What Happens if a Cockatiel's Tail Feathers Are Ripped Out?

Cockatiels are the smallest members of the Cockatoo family, and like their larger cousins, are indigenous to the Australian outback. Recognizable by their erectable crest of head feathers and their long tail feathers, cockatiels are one of the most popular home companion birds. Like all birds, cockatiels continuously lose and regrow all the feathers covering their bodies. This recycling of feathers is called molting, though birds can lose feathers in many different ways. No matter how a bird may lose its feathers, they will soon be replaced.

  1. Natural Molting

    • Birds replace their feathers two to three times a year.

      The most common way birds lose feathers is through molting. This process replaces worn out or broken feathers with fresh new ones. Molting naturally occurs two to three times a year. As an old feather falls out, it is replaced by a new one, called a "blood feather" because it contains a vein and an artery that allow the healthy growth and maturity of each feather. The new feather emerges in about 10 days as a wound-up spike that will gradually unwind and become a mature feather as the blood vessels retract and disappear. This process takes about 10 weeks from beginning to end.

    When Feathers are Forcibly Removed

    • The cockatiel's long tail feathers may save it from predator attacks.

      If tail feathers are pulled out forcibly, say by a predator attempting to catch the cockatiel, they will grow in again in the usual way. An exception to this would be if the feather follicles were damaged during the attack. This would most likely not prevent new feather growth; only delay it. One of the reasons cockatiels' tail feathers are so long is to provide an escape opportunity for the bird when a predator grabs at it. Birds can fly without their tail feathers, which come out fairly readily; leaving the predator with a mouthful of feathers and the bird itself safely flown away.

    Behavioral or Habitual Feather Picking

    • Feather picking is another way cockatiels may lose their plumage. This is where the bird plucks out its own feathers one by one. There are several possible reasons a bird may display this behavior; some of which may be loneliness, depression, fatigue or boredom. Symptoms that something is emotionally wrong will appear as the bird begins to look scruffy and unkempt, and an inordinate number of feathers appear at the bottom of its cage. If allowed to continue without correction, the bird may remove all its feathers and continue to do so as they emerge, preventing any to grow out. Taking the bird to the vet is the only way to discover the probable cause and develop a strategy to overcome this destructive behavior.

    Feather Picking Due to Illness

    • Taking your bird to the vet is the best way to learn why it is picking its feathers.

      Several medical conditions may cause a cockatiel to pick out its feathers. Consulting with an avian veterinarian is the only way to accurately determine the cause and take steps to correct the issue. Once the bird is returned to health, its feathers will grow back in eight to 10 weeks.