Do I have a molting parrot ??

Hello there ,
Jack is about 14 months old now and Im wondering if he could be molting ??
He isnt stressed or anything like that, a very happy , very chatty little boy. he has never pulled out his feathers either. I have seen some of the feathers just fall out, some are quite small, with the rare larger one. Lately , the past 4 days or so I have noticed more than usual than Im picking up and wondering if they molt ?
I did google molting parrots and it seems they can molt. Just wonder from other parrot owners and their experience and what to expect if there are others out there that can tell me ?.
I live in Sydney Australia and Spring has just started, is it similar to maybe dogs shedding some of their coat for the warmer weather ?
He isnt ill , quite a healthy boy and just talks non stop and very playful , so we really dont believe this has anything to do with stress. He gets tons of attention from all members of my family and we have him with us all the time.
Thanks,
Robyn

At 14 months old it very likely he is molting. Most birds molt 1-2 times a year. You will notice feathers in the bottom of the cage. Larger flight feathers and tail feathers are molted usually 1-2 feathers on each side. Sometimes birds look a little raggy. It helps to give a lukewarm mist bath everyday during molt.

Hi Robyn it does sound like molting, but without actually seeing it its hard to tell, even seeing the bird one can't be totaly sure, there are other causes for feather loss, such as you mentioned stress, dietary dificiencies can also be a cause, Ekkies require such a veriied diet, it could also be caused by disease, but lets hope thats not the case, molting usually starts after about a year old and can last anywhere from a few weeks to sometimes as long as a couple of months, Ekkies can sometimes look rather moth eaten during the molting process so don't be overly alarmed unless you see large totally bald spots, you may see fairly large spots of grey down but thats pretty common, if over preening or large bald spots occur then you'll want to take him to your avian vet, you may also find him to be testy or somewhat ill tempered during this period, this is also a common behavior, hope this helps, good luck

Thanks Guys,
Im not sure that I would say he is cranky or testy at the moment although he loves to growl a bit when playing. My husband plays all these games with him and thats when Jack growls, it is quite funny to watch. He loves my husband to bits and just hearing a parrot growl during play is hilarious. But other than that , his moods hasnt really changed.
Will keep an eye on him for any bald spots etc and if it doesnt look right , will take him to his avian vet.
Thank you ,
Robyn

I've seen several threads on this forum asking: molting or plucking? I am NOT an expert on birds, but I have a couple and thankfully they do not pluck, but I really don't think it should be hard to tell if your bird is molting versus plucking, if you know what to look for.

The easiest way to tell if he's molting is to rub your fingers under his feathers (head, neck, especially, since he can't get to these areas). If you feel pin feathers, he's molting (not just one or two, but lots). No pin feathers, probably plucking. I've noticed with both of my birds (my macaw is new, but just happens to be molting) that when they fluff up and shake or when they flap their wings, a feather or two will sometimes come floating off. I really think you would notice this. Also, this probably varies, but you won't see a pile of feathers one day, it is a gradual process. So a sudden pile of feathers is also not a good sign.

If he is molting and has pin feathers, he might appreciate you preening his head and neck by breaking the pin feathers with your fingers. Both my birds appear to itch when they are molting. I don't know if perhaps this might cause plucking in some birds, but I do think they appreciate it when you take care of the pin feathers they can't get to.

Just my two cents.

Good luck!!!