Plumage disorders in psittacine birds - part 1: feather abnormalities

Abstract

Plumage disorders in parrots represent one of the more common, but also one of the more challenging and frustrating problems that veterinarians dealing with parrots in their daily practice face on a day-to-day basis. Various types of plumage disorders may be identified, including stress marks, damaged or broken feathers, poor feather quality, feather discolouration, feather dystrophy, feather loss and feather damaging behaviour. This first article will deal with plumage disorders that result in feather abnormalities in psittacines, including the most common underlying causes, as well as their diagnostic work-up and treatment.