Can parrots be permanently deaf or hearing impaired?

May 2, 2021
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Stormy(M): blue Australian budgie
Picasso(F): green Australian budgie
Apollo(F): sky blue dominant pied Australian budgie
Cossie has always been really anxious and scared of everything, even after desensitization. It seems like she can do recall, but it takes a while to get her attention. Honestly, she acts like she's deaf, but to my knowledge, birds cannot be permanently deaf. But really, she seems hearing impaired... and this has been going on for months. Maybe she's partially blind or something, I'm going to see how responsive she is to visual stimuli, but she's pretty great at shorter distance recall. Maybe she's near-sighted? I don't know.

Can birds be permanently hearing impaired? Maybe due to a developmental issue?
 

HeatherG

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Apr 25, 2020
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Parrots can have most of the issues that humans can have. But I would expect deafness would be very rare in birds.

Blindness or partial blindness causes a parrot to be rather jumpy and anxious. I had a conure who could barely see at all, and he was almost completely silent. He would wail if he heard a strange voice. Lucy Quaker was blind in one eye. When she first came to me, she was very protective of that side and would bite if I approached from her blind side.

I would wonder if Cossie might have a vision problem OR if she is just a very nervous bird. If she’s very nervous she might be so overwhelmed trying to monitor her surroundings that she can’t pay attention or learn very well.
 
OP
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May 2, 2021
3,527
Media
4
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Vermont, USA
Parrots
Stormy(M): blue Australian budgie
Picasso(F): green Australian budgie
Apollo(F): sky blue dominant pied Australian budgie
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If she’s very nervous she might be so overwhelmed trying to monitor her surroundings that she can’t pay attention or learn very well.
Well, I tested her for blindness, and she seems sighted enough... It makes sense thay she would behave like she has been if she’s extremely nervous/overwhelmed. There was one side, however, where she took longer to respond to visual things, such as waving or holding millet over there. She also tends to use the other eye more... Maybe she has harder times seeing details on that side? IDK.
 

clark_conure

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Jul 14, 2017
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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
I think all birds are deaf, every once in a while .....WHEN THEY PUT THIER BEAK IN THERE AND SCREAM IN MY FRICKING EAR!!!!!! anyways I'm sure this isn't helpful, but I had to add it! Because they love evil. I'm sure many relate.
 

HeatherG

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Apr 25, 2020
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I think all birds are deaf, every once in a while .....WHEN THEY PUT THIER BEAK IN THERE AND SCREAM IN MY FRICKING EAR!!!!!! anyways I'm sure this isn't helpful, but I had to add it! Because they love evil. I'm sure many relate.
I’ve been collecting information for an alphabet book about birds. I’ve found that there are a surprising number of bird species, around the world, that are named or known as β€œDevil Bird”. This may not be a surprise to the average parrot owner.
 
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