How Do You Tell the Difference Between Plucking & Grooming in a Parrot?

When a parrot grooms his feathers, an action called preening, he takes a feather in his beak and pulls the feather so that it slides between his upper and lower beak. He may also chew at his feathers. This is normal and doesn't usually result in the loss of feathers. Plucking, or the intentional removal of feathers, indicates a physical, emotional or environmental problem. An avian vet can help you find the cause of plucking and suggest methods of correcting the behavior.

  1. Molting

    • Parrots go through annual molts, a time when old feathers are replaced with new ones. They lose only a few feathers at a time, and molting does not result in bald spots or bleeding. New feathers emerge encased in a sheath, and parrots must preen more than usual to remove the sheaths. If your parrot has bald spots, he is probably plucking out his feathers and needs attention.

    Emotional Plucking

    • Stress due to sudden or drastic changes in household routines may cause plucking. Parrots may also experience stress with changes in diet, lack of attention from owners, tension in the household, introduction of a new pet, or environmental changes. Boredom is another form of stress. Keep several stimulating toys in the cage so the parrot can learn to entertain himself when you aren't around.

    Allergies

    • Birds experience the same kinds of allergies as humans do, including environmental allergies such as pollen and mold, as well as food allergies. They react to itchy allergies by scratching and plucking. There are no tests to find the source of allergies in birds, so you have to use trial and error to find the cause. Begin with a basic diet without food coloring and preservatives and introduce new foods gradually. Use an air purifier to remove dust and pollen from the air.

    Diseases

    • If you can't quickly determine the cause of plucking and take steps to reverse the problem, you should take your bird to an avian veterinarian. A number of diseases and parasites that you can't diagnose or treat on your own can cause feather plucking. If you see skin lesions, deformed or bleeding feathers, or changes in a parrot's beak, you should make an appointment with the vet as soon as possible.