My Blue and Gold McCaw started biting off her chest feathers in April of 2021. At that time she had been with me for 42 years. There were no changes in her life to obviously pinpoint this behavior on anything in particular. The Vet I had at the time wouldn’t do any testing of any kind and immediately told me it was my fault and referred me to an avian behavior specialist. I was reluctant to make an appointment with her at first thinking all possible tests should be done first to find out if she was sick in any way. I found another Vet after getting in touch with the behaviorist. She guided me through 6 Months of intensive time spent to make dietary and behavior changes to put an end to her feathers destruction. The new Vet agreed that all testing should have been done first as I did and she underwent $1,000’s in tests and a few trial medications. Now almost 2 years later she continues to chew off any new growth and has proceeded to venture into feathered area she had not damaged before. One of these stories said that they believed as a human we are far more devastated and broken-hearted than are feathered friends are. It is so true! She seems very happy. Other than looking compulsive when whipping her head back and forth to get the little bits of feathers that so desperately want the chance to grow. It is hard for me to see and of course I cannot react as it may seem a sign of encouragement of the behavior. It hard. But I love her. See deserves any above and beyond care I can give her. I do have another parrot that is “normal” he is a yellow naped Amazon. I just want to thank everyone for letting me know there are others like me going through this without having solved the issue. Just doing the best they can, with all the love they have always had for their friends. Feathered or not, we love them dearly.

I was givin my feathered friend, I had never seen her in person or in pictures. But was told of her plucking problem, but I had always dreamed of owning one.(Blue n Gold). When she got here I was in love with her. I thought she was beautiful, and I still do. I try to make her as happy as possible and take her with me when weather permits, She is my baby and I would never change her or trade her for another parrot with all its feathers. Love is blind, and beauty is not only skin deep.

Hi Bill, My heart feels very heavy after reading your post. I agree with every last word. Over the years, I have come to believe that humans should not be allowed to keep birds at all. The fact is that we are barely armed with the knowledge to cover their physical needs, and have not even scratched the surface in the understanding of their emotional complexities. Yet, here we are. When I write posts for this site, I try to keep that in mind. There are many, many owners that wish for nothing more than a life of bliss for their birds. We try so hard, but we are bound to fail in some crucial area, usually without even knowing it. Is plucking the result of life in captivity? Barring physical illness, without a doubt. But that understanding gets us nowhere. Since birds are unable to communicate their deepest thought in any tangible way, and since every bird is a unique individual, there will never a pattern that can be detected to foresee a problem. Every bird, every household containing a bird, is different. That is why I say there is no understanding of the problem, nor experts in this area. Regarding guilt, it is counterproductive. I see it only further complicating the human/bird bond. I feel certain that a bird can feel the changes in a human that suffers from a sense of wrongdoing. Many people aren’t able to handle these feelings and will often move away from the source of the pain. I would hate to see that happen. Thank you for you heartfelt words. Patty

There is no understanding of over preening, plucking or self mutilating, nor any guilt? Of course there is. For decades it’s been known that wild raised (family and flock) or parent raised aviculture birds almost never pluck, over-preen or self-mutilate. It’s the parent deprivation of hand feeding and total lack of appropriate time and amount of same species socialization that creates birds who have no resources or constructive habits to handle stress. Besides the incredible stress built in by being raised minus all that normal parrots should have as learning, growing, Hugely social birds and intelligences. We have seen the massive damage done to humans by similar practices to modern aviculture in the orphanages of Ceausescu’s Romania, and these profoundly damaged individuals lived the life of social luxury compared to many breeder’s bird factories. Pulling birds or eggs as early as the manpower is available for feeding to return pairs to laying for maximizing profit is the cause of our neurotic and damaged birds. (Captivity has just a bit to contribute?) I have two such fully body plucked Mollys and a Goffin’s that may be starting. Another Molly has had a scab on his chest all his adult life that is known about. He takes it to bleeding every day. All the vets who have seen him are amazed he hasn’t died of an opportunistic infection years ago. But someone made more money by hand feeding him and getting more eggs out of the breeding parents. The guilt is in everyone who doesn’t speak out against and refuse to support with money, parent depriving birds and factory breeding situations. It’s well understood how ‘mixed parenting’ (Parent and clutch raised w/ human interaction all the while.) creates birds with a full parent, family, sexual and species imprinting and enrichment that results in a happy, adaptable and flexible mentality with the resources to handle much of the incredible deprivation and stupifying boredom we inflict in the name of protecting them from the obviously real dangers of industrial societies and urban living. And by mixed parenting, they are still well socialized to humans as ‘flock’ they grew up interacting with. Leaving them with parents and family through fledging completes most of the critical learning steps that time and evolution has had to build into such vulnerable and mobile beings before they have to know these lessons during flight out in the world. The huge additional bonus is that the parrots are not sexually imprinted on humans, as problematic as hand feeding’s imprinting them socially on us. Imagine a bird that doesn’t bite strangers who come too close to a pair bonded owner. Or the owner for allowing it. Or who doesn’t go into nest building display tearing up stuff most times when you enter the room, or doesn’t rage when you commit that ultimate pair betrayal, leave them alone? Imagine a bird that doesn’t bite to get what it wants or doesn’t want! One whose mother and father taught it from before feathers that biting got nothing good, but did get it’s beak held till the behavior stopped. Or whose clutch mates turned their back when mouthed too aggressively, the most disrespectful and communicative of parrot social signals? A massively important lesson all flock birds (Who must bond together to live, or die apart from the flock) learn before feathers are even filled in. Humans, on the other hand, have vast resources for teaching biting. Getting left alone! Getting drama! Getting attention! We teach all that without even trying. Only a few stay constantly aware of just what is being reinforced as successful behavior, ON THE PARROT’S TERMS. Applied Behavior Analysis describes how intelligences deal with the world. Complex nervous systems in anything approaching working order, repeat successful actions. Only when success is understood in the terms of the individual do we have a chance to create new learning experiences for the marvelous creatures we try to keep safe so far in time and space from the world of endless air and wildness and similar flock they should be living in. From what I can tell about my rescue Moluccans, maybe the most complex and emotional of parrots, all they Really want is a mate, a nest and the chance to raise and protect a family. The ultimate sadness is even if we find possible mates for them, most have been denied essential social learning of pair behavior that only growing up with interacting parents could teach. They need a family more than life itself, and by hand feeding them, we took away the skills and responses that are necessary to participate in the whole reproductive and parental process. Every year, more failed matings of Mollys occur as the existing birds are moved additional generations away from intact families and the lessons of growing up whole. The pet store industry and breeders have given us large numbers of incredibly beautiful and intelligent birds, but ones with their souls seared and mutilated by stunningly cruel and barbaric childhoods distorted for profit, all but crushing their marvelous spirits. Maimed internally but still the most engaging beings we know other than our fellow humans?

I really needed to see & read this. I adopted a 6 yr old female eclectus just over a year ago that supposedly just started plucking before I got her….after over a thousand dollars in vet bills and finally finding the vet where her previous owner took her (only 2x) this condition started when she was a baby. We ruled out all medical reasons and our vet prescribed Haldol———she still plucked and was dopey on the haldol. I stopped the meds and tried everything else. She is happy but yes I felt like a failure being a nurse and still couldn’t fix her – I will continue to love her and now I will cut myself some slack in the guilt area:) TY

I rescued “Bosco” a Red Headed Conor, previously badly abused and fearful of everyone years ago. He had plucked most of his chest feathers out but was still beautiful to me. Allowed to fly free after his fear of everyone lessened he was a joy to own. Although intially fearful of people he decided he owned me and our other pets. Bosco once settled in was able to make great freinds with our aged cat “Charlie”, so much so that they often slept together. He could be found stretched out between our gentle Great Danes ears happly picking at non-existant bugs. He was my beloved friend for 12 years; sadly he died a year year ago – still chest bald but well loved. The vet indicated his previous abusive life had shortened his years considerably. Recently I rescued a sweet Senegal, she and I are now slowly getting to know one another. She has not plucked her feathers but is very fearful of anyone near her cage. I hope time and gentle talking/sharing will lessen her fears as it did for Bosco.

About 5 years ago my yellow neck macaw plucked all of her chest feathers down to the skin. I worried a lot about Emily and the plucking until my vet said it’s a vitamin deficiency. I immediately bought a bottle of that yellow gooey vitamin liquid and added it to her water bowl. It took about a week, but she completely stopped the plucking and/or chewing her feathers. I still add vitamins to her water, but only about once a week. Emily has never again, in the last 5 years, plucked a feather. It’s worth a try. What have you got to lose?

my adopted lovebird came with no feathers on his little bum, he used to pluck them constantly no matter what we tried. I thought his little bare bum was cute in a way (all our birds have nicknames his was bear for his fiestyness and bum lol) and it was just another part of his personality (he was a little obsessive compulsive). Its been just over a year without him but i still have the little box of his ashes and the 1 small tail feather he had not had a chance to pluck before he died.

I love my african grey. I feel for not only birds but every animal that has to go through neglect and uncaring people. I wish people were as nice and wonderful as these gracious creatures who demand nothing but tender loving care and love on the whole. Everyday before I go to sleep I pray to God to help them and let them find people who will love and care for them more then anything because animals especially birds deserve the utmost love and respect and care. I LOVE BIRDS and ANIMALS! X0X0X0 to all of em!

I have a Timneh African grey that plucks and I love him to pieces! I wish he was fully feathered, only because that is the way God created him to be. But other than that, he is a happy little guy that brings sunshine into my world every day!

I adopted “Bob” (a Quaker) from a local Parrot Store. Great place. The owners didn’t want him anymore, and gave him to the store to adopt him out. How sad. He had plucked out the feathers all around his neck and most on the chest. The store owner told me to be careful around him because he bit everyone. I walked up to the cage and made the usual kissing sounds and he walked to the door. The owner walked by again and again told me to be careful. I put my finger out and sure enough, he stepped up. No bite. I talked to him and pet him and we bonded immediately. We took him home on a trial basis, and two years later, he’s still here, still bald around the neck, but he loves me and I love him, and oh by the way, his name wasn’t Bob when we got him, but when he sits on your finger and you drop your hand down, his body drops but his head stays put, just like a "Bob"ble Head. I love him so.

I think “spring” and the mating season is why mine is completely naked from the head down. then she grow most of it back for the winter; and plucks in the spring. now she has a hole in her stomach. a scab starts to get better very slowly; then she’ll pick at it again. someday she will die if she does not stop. It makes my stomach hurt and my heart breaks. her behavior is strange in the spring and does not want much to do with me during this time. She did have a mate when i got her. She plucked HIS HEAD. then he got out his food door and flew away. I give my birds a very active life. they go for car rides. to the stores that let them in; and when the weather is nice; there homemade; 8×5 ft. cage goes outside on the deck. in the afternoon they go out and get to play in a small oak tree! they love it. and i play clasical music while there outside. So with my bird in think it’s the spring thing. she wears a sock half the time; but shreads it within a day or two! I’m running out of socks and the weather is getting warm here in the sierra nevada mtns.

I must agree with you, Janis. Over the years, and a very oddball assortment of pets that my kids have dragged home, I’ve come to the conclusion that cats and dogs are probably the best animals to have as pets. Besides, they seem to be the only pets you can easily find decent supplies for. We have a wee parrotlet my mother is no longer able to care for and she plucks her chest and back feathers, not to the skin, but instead of being a pretty green, she’s a downy gray. She’s still a nut and we enjoy her very much, but every little change in routine upsets her and she reefs out whatever feathers she just grew back. Maybe she’s chewing them off, I can’t tell. We do our best by all our pets, but the exotics really need very special care that not many are willing or able to provide.

feathered or plucked, they are all beautiful as their beauty comes from within I have never seen an ugly parrot, or one that wasn’t truly loveable

My bird was plucking his feathers. Birds are social animals that like to prune eachother- sometimes they just prune themselves featherless. In my Macaws case- I went down and bought him an ostrich feather duster. I put it in his cage and intorduced it to him as his new “Girlfriend” He now prunes that instead of himself! Worked like a charm :)

Ohhhh, King O is GORGEOUS! He had a broken heart. I worry aobut this with my own bird, that because we spend so much time together, he will be devastated when it’s time for me to hit the Pearly Gates. I have already made arrangements for him to go to my adult son when I go (hopefully, not for 30 years or so, but you never know). I have given my son all the Bird Trick viedos so he will be well equipped when the time comes to take over Clarkie’s care. I figure being prepared for my bird to transition well to my son’s home is another part of being a responsible bird owner.

Hi, just a comment for Jerusha, I have an African Grey who has effectively clipped his own left wing for almost 35 years now…. he takes out the primaries as they grow back. Sometimes he will let them grow until they are almost matching his “good” wing, then chews them all off in one session, but mostly he chews them off before they extend beyond the primary coverts. He’s never plucked anywhere else on his body and is a happy little fellow with lots of toys, chewies and interaction so is certainly not bored or sick. It’s a mystery, but has never been a problem. I think he’s been doing it so long that he now feels unbalanced with two wings and that may be why he continues to chew them off.

Wow, it must be awful not knowing how to help your bird feel better and how to stop this behavior. I don’t know what I’d do if it were me, but I’m quite sure I’d still love my babies and their amazing personalities – with or without feathers!!! I’m so glad to see this lil guy still enjoying his life :-)

Thanks for the encouragement. I too have a feather plucker and have tried everything to change this behavior. My sweet little Boo Boo bird has even gotten to the point of self mutilation. Her vet says there is nothing physically wrong with her. She started this when she became sexually mature. We even tried to get her a companion which worked for amfew months and all of a sudden she started plucking again even worse then before. Her vet says she will just have to live with a collar on.’I still lobe her the same!

I adopted a cherry head conure ten years ago, who while I think was initially treated well (she knew how to step up and does a few tricks and can say “allo Coco”) went through at least two years of bad times, where in the place she was before I adopted her, the guy kept her in a closet with the door shut because she was too noisy. Her chest, back and legs were completely bald when I got her. Some feathers have grown back in, but the vet told me she had been doing it for so long, she had damaged the follicles and they will never grow back. And she still plucks a bit, but I try to ignore her when I see her doing it. However, she is usually too busy to pluck now. She is fully flighted and comes outside with me in the back yard where she has several favourite perches She comes when I whistle. When indoors she can spend hours ripping up paper bags and cardboard boxes. The longer I live with her, however, the more I think that birds should not be pets. I work at home and can spend lots of time with her, but most people don’t. The amount of stimulation in the wild compared to what we can offer, except for a very small minority of people like Chet and his brother, is woefully inadequate and leads to neurotic behaviours like plucking. I am not advocating opening cages and letting “tame” birds out, but I think that the trade in birds, even domestically raised ones, should stop.

I got into birds after a sweet little Lory stole muy heart. I have since aquired several birds and each had a lot of baggage. As to plucking only one of my virds is stillbare chested because the feather rots are gone. He is still Mr Personality and a sweet bird. The rest are recovered thouugh a lot of focuded work snd love. The causes were many, focused on diet and social abuse were foremost causes. Now come the nasty part and one everyone should be aware of when giving a bird a second, etc. home. One place I found some very wonderful birds (not so much the owner) was a local but popular bird shop in Denver. First the shop owner is a liar when it came to history of the birds. Then having adopted a bird the store owner did not pay the former owner there part of the consignment. The former owner wanted their money or the bird back. This mess ended up in court. I won!. Just remember not all birds can be cured or socialluy redirected, worse case a plucking bird can die

Thanks for this article. My darling Bilbo has been pulling feathers out of his chest for the past 3 years. We know why it started – it was that horrid classic keel bone injury. In his case it looks like he tripped over on the top of his cage and hit the bars. It was like cheesewire on his skin but we didn’t realise because he always bounced back up and jumped around with the typical exuberance of a Moluccan Cockatoo. We noticed an injury when he started to worry at it. He had a split in his skin which had opened up into inch diameter hole. Bilbo was stitched up and it must have terribly traumatic for him. Every since he has worried at the area which then caused ingrowing feathers. We had to put him in a parrot jacket to allow the area to heal but over time he has pulled out feathers where the jacket rubbed. We have now given up on the jacket and let him just be himself. Its sad to see him like this with few feathers on his chest, neck, shoulder and legs, but to us his a beautiful, real character and a much loved member of our family. As I type he is curled up on my husband’s chest having lots of tickles after sharing our supper of pasta and tomatoes.

Hey guys! Great info,great blog! I want to share with you all something,that MAYBE is working with my eclectus.maybe. And maybe can help you as well !!! I sure hope that we are on the right way.at last…Just keep crossing my fingers her… Well as you can understand and guess we have big plucking issue…it hurts,as you know-to him(I think) and surly to me!just breaks my heart… This parrot has everything and more-whatever you can think about – from handcrafted toys of all kinds of great amazing trick training, recall flights(not any more): )great food etc etc After about 5 hard months of plucking and molting i’v decided to try something different..And this is after I’ve tried e ve r y t h I n g you can imagine… Maybe I got a breakthrough and I want to share it with you-maybe it will help to someone- even for one bird… The thing is this:after I tried to make all the changes I thought about,read about (like shower 4 times a weak, different food,toys,relocation,spending more time with him, time in the sun etc etc) I have decided : why not trying to “make reset” on everything,and take it back to start…going way back to the first days I had him,when everything was perfect.. So I took out the toys(maybe his allergic to some of the materials?), put him back on pellets diet(maybe his allergic to something there?),when it’s getting dark-his off to sleep,leaving the shutters open,so he’ll wake up with sunrise, leaving the pellets accessible all day ( tough I know it’s better to serve 2 meals a day(but maybe he’s getting restless from hunger?) put him every day in the sun, I stoped from showering him (maybe because the water here are “hard water” ,it’s bad for him and make him itchy) last weak I give him it’s firs bath after a month with filtered water, I take him out of it’s cage as much as I can and keep On with trick train him and I covered a mirror that is on the wall. I’m doing this written tracking everyday-times of putting him to sleep,out of the cage time,training time length,cleaning the cage,bed times and the most important-the feathers condition! Now listen – I can’t tell now what is working here, but something from what I’m doing apparently does it ( I HOPE ) in the 21.6 will pass 1 hole month from the time I started this, and until now he had ONLY 2 days of molting and bad plucking,but almost 24 days of non destructive condition, and he started to grow about 12-15 new feathers – wings and tail.( oh my god-I’m writing this now and hoping not to get Home today and see feathers on the floor (: ) So guys- if it’s working for my parrot (for now),just Maybe it can help your parrot as well.. Try to “reset” everything ! Take it to the begging of your relationship with your parrot,the first days-weeks-months,and maybe it will do some good.rule out every variable that you can think of. I would be happy to hear from you guys who read this and try this way… As for my eclectus- I hope that he “will keep on the good work” (: Good luck! My heart’s with you all Roy