I guess I could have titled this Molting since that is how it is spelled in the U.S., but since I live in Canada, I really have to spell the word the way it is spelled here.

Birds' bodies are covered with feathers instead of hair like our other pets (dogs, cats, etc). Dogs and cats shed some fur all the time, with major sheds in the spring and sometimes again in the fall. Birds do the same things with their feathers.

Every bird will moult a few feathers every day and either once or twice a year will moult several feathers each day for a few weeks. Sometimes you will find so many feathers on the ground around the cage that you wonder why your bird isn't bald.

A normally moulting bird will not show any bald spots at all and will always be able to fly (if his/her wings are not clipped to prevent flying). The one exception that I know of to this rule is with wild Canada Geese (and possibly other fowl) that are unable to fly shortly after they raise their young and just before they begin their flight south for the winter.

What you will see on your bird during the moult are lots of pinfeathers. While preening, they will break open the tip of the pinfeather to soften it but they can not reach the pinfeathers on their own heads. If you have more than one bird, you will see them preening each other's heads. If you only have one bird, you will find that they love to have you rub their heads and break open these pinfeathers for them.

If you see bald spots on your bird or if your bird can not fly because one wing has fewer feathers than the other or both wings have lost too many feathers, this is a sign that there is a problem.

Possible problems could be:
1) Improper diet,
2) Your bird could be plucking instead of moulting,
3) Another bird could be picking on one.
4) Illness such as Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease

Take the time to find out what the problem is and work to fix it. An improper or inadequate diet can be fixed by adding more nutrients. If your bird is plucking, a visit with an avian veterinarian should be made to see if the problem is a medical one. Separating birds may be required if one is being picked on.

After many years of pet bird ownership, I have decided to write e-books about the care of some of these wonderful birds.


Please check out the books I have selected at Amazon.com