Update: Parrots feather-plucking
By Alan K Jones, BvetMed MRCVS
I am now retired from general avian veterinary practice, but still write articles and answer questions on the enthralling birds that are parrots. One of the most common problems I was faced with in the course of my work was the feather-plucking parrot. It is also a very frequent question asked of Parrots magazine: “What do I do to stop my parrot pulling its feathers out?” Several articles have been published over the years by many experts on the subject, but it is time to provide an update.
The feature that sets birds apart in the animal kingdom is their feathers. These unique and complex structures give avian species their particular appeal in terms of appearance and colour. It is perhaps the main reason why people find birds so attractive, and therefore if any problem occurs with the feathers, it is of immediate concern to the owner.