Feather Plucking is the most common stress-related behavior problem in birds and can be caused by physical, psychological or emotional stress. It is a complex and challenging behavior problem for bird owners to correct because even when the initial cause is
corrected, the bird may continue to feather pluck as a habitual behavior or in response to a different stressor. Feather plucking is easier to reduce or eliminate by taking action as soon as the problem is noticed.
Physical Stress Causes Feather Plucking
The first step is to take your bird to an experienced avian veterinarian to determine if there is a physical cause contributing to the problem. An avian veterinarian can diagnose and treat physical problems such as malnutrition, vitamin toxicity, dirty or dehydrated skin and feathers, pain due to chronic organ disease (hepatitis, abdominal tumors, egg yolk peritonitis), arthritis, molting, and improperly clipped wings or nails.
Emotional Stress Causes Feather Plucking
If physical problems are treated or eliminated as the possible cause for feather plucking but the feather plucking behavior continues, the possibility that the bird is suffering from emotional stress must be considered. Birds are highly intelligent and very emotional and can suffer from stress for numerous reasons, including those related to living in captivity. Every facet of the bird’s life and environment should be systematically considered and improved.
The following emotional and psychological stressors can cause feather plucking and should be considered:
Inadequate Exercise – In the wild, birds spend approximately 80% of their waking day foraging and flying. Pet birds, by contrast, live sedentary lives confined to cages and/or may have clipped wings. Birds with few opportunities for exercise and outlets for stress may engage in feather plucking, chewing and self-mutilation to relieve their stress.
Boredom, Lack of Stimulation – Birds may preen, over groom, feather pluck and self-mutilate as activities to fill their time if they lack stimulation and feel bored.
Inadequate Sleep, Too Much Light – Too many hours of light can cause a bird to be sleep-deprived. Inadequate sleep, fewer than eight to ten hours at night, causes exhaustion, irritability and frustration that can manifest in feather plucking.
Lack of Companionship or Loss of Companionship – Birds in the wild live together in flocks. Pet birds may feel lonely if they lack the companionship of other birds or adequate substitute human or animal companionship. The loss of a bird, animal or human companion due to death, a move or divorce can be very stressful for a bird.
Stressful or Frightening Environment – A stressful or frightening environment can cause a bird to feather pluck. The bird can be stressed by excessive noise (TV’s, radios, outside machinery, household appliances, loud voices), too much household activity, or feeling threatened by other resident pets (cats, dogs, other pet birds), draughts, excessively hot or cold temperatures, excessively low humidity, strong odors or pollutants, placement of the cage (too close to the floor, too close to another cage).
Common Sense Advice to Reduce Feather Plucking
It can be challenging for a bird owner to find just the right balance of stimulation and calmness, fruits and vegetables vs. seeds, companionship without fear, activity and sleep to keep a bird happy and reduce feather plucking. Here’s some common sense advice to help reduce feather plucking:
Exercise – Give your bird a chance to fly around every day in a safe secure room. Let the bird forage by putting healthy snacks in different locations in the room. Make sure the bird’s cage is big enough to stretch out his wings. Providing adequate exercise will have a tremendous impact on reducing feather plucking and stress, and improving your bird’s general health.
Proper Diet and Nutrition - Birds need a diet that is nutritionally rich and varied with fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts. A diet that consists primarily of sunflower or safflower seeds is nutritionally deficient in protein and Vitamin A and contains an excessive amount of fat. This will cause a bird’s skin to become dry, flaky and itchy and the bird may begin to over groom and feather pluck to alleviate the discomfort. Check with your vet to determine the best diet for your bird based on breed, age, and health.
Sleep – Make sure your bird’s cage is completely covered for at least eight to ten hours and the noise level in your household is reduced as much as possible so your bird will have enough sleep at night. To finish obtaining adequate sleep, birds also need a few naps during the day.
Stimulation, Enrichment – Birds need stimulation and enrichment because they are intelligent and easily bored. They need lots of toys so some can be put away and feel like new when they’re brought out again. Their cages need to be where they can watch family members, other resident pets, or wildlife through windows. Birds may also enjoy having access to non-toxic branches or plants to chew and pull on, and to serve as an excellent substitute instead of chewing on their own feathers.
Companionship – Birds need the companionship, affection and attention of their owners f
or at least three or four hours each day. They may also need and enjoy another of the same or different breed of bird or other companion animals, as long as they are not threatening.
Home Environment and Schedule – Birds, like other pets, need a clean, calm, safe, warm, draught-free, friendly non-threatening environment. They also need a predictable schedule for meals, owner companionship and sleep, so they feel some measure of control over their lives.
Baths - Birds need misting and regular water baths to keep their skin clean and hydrated. Baths are also a fun and enriching activity that will keep your bird entertained and stimulated.
Habitual Severe Feather Plucking
If feather plucking has become habitual and severe, our advice is to:
Seek the advice of a holistic avian veterinarian who may suggest herbal, homeopathic or alternative remedies. Never give your bird herbal or homeopathic remedies without consulting a vet to avoid remedies or doses that may be harmful or toxic to birds.
Seek the advice of an experienced avian veterinarian who may suggest prescription anti-depressant or mood altering drugs which have been shown to alleviate feather plucking. Anti-depressant and mood altering drugs for birds have unpredictable side effects and should only be used as a last resort in the cases of severe feather plucking or self mutilation.
For more information on pet birds, we recommend the following resources:
Grooming for birds includes giving them bird baths. Birds love to be gently misted with water. You can do this with a regular plastic bottle with a spray handle that can be set on misting.
If you have a shower head that will send out a very delicate spray of mist, try taking your birds in the shower. Most birds will enjoy this and, like humans, will enjoy singing in the shower.
Notice if your bird is over-grooming or plucking his feathers. Does your bird have excessive feather loss? Check with your vet to determine if there are physical causes for this behavior. If there are no physical reasons, your bird may be showing signs of stress.
Visit the appropriate pages of this website to learn more about reducing your bird’s stress with exercise, diet and nutrition and home environment.
Grooming for birds also includes trimming nails and coping beaks. Sometimes you can put a piece of hard wood in the bird cage as part of a perch or swing. Birds will usually gnaw on the hard wood and eventually wear down their beaks. But in most cases your bird will need some help. If you don’t want to do it, you can take your bird to the vet.
