molting or plucking?

I have determined my lovely Lola is molting by all the pins around her head and neck. I am seeing a lot of feathers coming out of her, lots of little downy-type ones and two bigger, tail-like feathers. Is this normal for molting or is she also plucking out feathers she shouldn't be? Thanks!!

Some birds can molt a lot all at once, unfortunate we can't tell without photos. usually plucked feathers have a squished or torn base that may or may not have dried blood in it. A naturally molted feather has a clean looking base that is nice and rounded unless your bird decided to play with it after it fell off.

Often times with plucking if the bird lives in a room you spend a lot of time in, you will see the bird pluck. A sure sign that a bird is plucking is that you see bare spots on the bird and often times you'll find pin feathers still with the bloody base in the quill on the floor. If your not finding pieces of feathers, your bird doesn't have a bare areas and your not finding little blood feathers all over the place, then chances are he's just molting.

I hope you don't mind a follow-up question on this topic - and about a macaw . . .

I had the exact same question. Apologies for the "wrong" bird for the forum . . . I was exploring in my mind the idea of a cockatoo & got caught up in the discussions.

My Greenwing was placed with us in January because he had become worried in his former home & had begun to pluck. He is still looking a little moth-eaten. He has pins, so I know he is molting, but I think he is still plucking. Sometimes I tell my husband, "Goose is in a mood today." and often, the next day, there is a large flight feather or tail feather on the floor.

I also see fluffies & "regular" feathers on the floor.

The ends of the larger feathers are crushed, as is the middle of the feather. The middle from him holding it in his foot & the end from him chewing on it & sucking on the shaft. Often the small-to-medium feathers have a "V" in the end where I believe his beak has nipped out a piece while pulling the feather out. Some of the medium & small feathers are in perfect shape.

He has no completely bald spots, he does not pluck the pins (and he does not want ME to help with them either, thank you very much). And I have not found a feather with blood on the end.

So I can't tell if he is "helping" the feathers molt, or plucking.

Also, he was in his other house from 1 month of age to 20 years. He has been here only since January & so is really still in an adjustment period. [For what it is worth, his diet includes a combination of fruits, veggies, greens, eggs, mash, Harrison's & TOPs pellets & nutriberries, nuts (mostly in the shell) & some seeds. He is quite a good eater.]

Anyone who can help me figure it out by the description, I'd love the help.

yea watching to see how they actually are grooming helps. though some birds will only pluck when they are alone.
when theyre wet after a shower and stuff is a good time to check for baldness - but moulting birds will always look a little less endowed when theyre wet as well though...

with the macaw, i would be a bit suspicious of that behaviour... but if he does actually leave the pins alone, he might finish moulting and be fine. i dont know...