After shower noticed bald spot on chest

Newbsi · Aug 26, 2015

After a shower yesterday I noticed Gollum has a bald spot on her chest. The down feathers are not there. You cannot tell when she is dry because her pretty color feathers ARE there. She is really young to pluck and would a parrot pluck only the down feathers and leave the other ones? Is it normal to have bald spots on occasion (down feather bald spots, not color feathers)?

ToMang07 · Aug 26, 2015

Was it center of the chest/crop area?

Newbsi · Aug 26, 2015

below the crop. It is still too cool to get her wet. I will soak her down again when it warms up and try to get a picture. She really hates the camera/phone.
I have just never heard of plucking ONLY down feathers.

ToMang07 · Aug 26, 2015

Well I can't tell you for sure, but it sounds "normal" to me. I know Willow has a line down her breastbone from the bottom of the crop down that shows up when she gets soaked.

It's pretty well visible in this picture: http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/...ella Cockatoo/20150824_151408_zpsmncyway2.jpg

Newbsi · Aug 26, 2015

YES! It looks very much like that. Seems like a smaller area on her chest though.... she is a much smaller bird lol.

jasper19 · Aug 27, 2015

Yes i would say this is normal. Angle has a very similar strip to that picture, just thinner. Also on her back is a similar thing when she gets wet.

I would not worry about it.

Kyoto · Aug 27, 2015

I had a lovebird that had this. Was not a plucker, just how her feathers came in :3

cris · Aug 27, 2015

i guess it is normal, buddy.

gollum · Jul 21, 2020

Sorry to jump on this thread so late, but I have a similar worry with my conure and found this while searching around. Wasn't able to see the photo of Willow in this thread. Do you remember if the bald spot looked something like this? Her feathers are being blown aside, otherwise the bald spot isn't visible.

noodles123 · Jul 22, 2020

gollum said:
Sorry to jump on this thread so late, but I have a similar worry with my conure and found this while searching around. Wasn't able to see the photo of Willow in this thread. Do you remember if the bald spot looked something like this? Her feathers are being blown aside, otherwise the bald spot isn't visible.

What does that look like when they aren't blow to the side? That looks like it could be over-preening if it usually looks like that. Lots of birds have a thinner area of feathers in that region, but if you see a bald spot when dry on a normal basis, that is likely indicative of some sort of feather destructive disorder. Now, if you had to manipulate the feathers to make that patch, that's somewhat different, as long as it isn't visible without manipulation.

Sometimes birds will overpreen due to discomfort but it can also be behavioral (stress, boredom, hormones etc). Start with a certified avian vet checkup to make sure there is no infection, swelling or other issue that could be causing him to mess with that area.

bigfellasdad · Jul 22, 2020

My Enzo pulls her down feathers during some months, you notice it when she stretches up to play with a toy etc. I wouldnt worry about it tbh, for sure he will have new down feathers for winter.

After shower noticed bald spot on chest

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