Welcoming a new bird into your home is often a joyous occasion, filled with the promise of companionship and the unique charm that avian friends bring. For years, I’ve connected with fellow bird enthusiasts online, and one individual, whom we’ll call Helen, always stood out. Her insights were refreshingly unique, and her African grey parrot, Margo, was the subject of countless amusing anecdotes. Helen, a seasoned multi-bird owner, possessed an extraordinary ability to explain complex avian care with clarity and patience, ensuring understanding and addressing the “why” behind every action. She was, without a doubt, one of the most knowledgeable bird owners I’d encountered.
One day, after a pleasant catch-up, I inquired about Margo. I anticipated another one of Helen’s signature hilarious stories, but instead, she was overcome with emotion and burst into tears. Through her tears, she confided that about a year prior, Margo had begun plucking her feathers, a behavior that had unfortunately continued. Helen’s distress wasn’t about the appearance of a plucked bird; her ego was uninvolved. Instead, her devastation stemmed from the profound realization that Margo was enduring silent emotional suffering.
Helen deeply cherished all her birds, but Margo held a particularly special place in her heart. Ten years earlier, Margo had been rescued by police from a drug house, found in a cage in a closet, believed to have been traded for drugs. Despite the initial trauma and the extensive red tape involved in her rescue, Margo displayed remarkable resilience and a capacity for forgiveness. Helen was instantly smitten, and Margo found a loving, permanent home. Years later, however, the plucking began.
Diagnosing the Feather Plucking
Helen and I meticulously reviewed the common culprits behind feather plucking, systematically ruling out potential causes.
- Health: Over the past year, Margo had seen three different avian veterinarians. All examinations yielded the same consistent finding: Margo was in excellent health. This crucial step eliminated medical issues as the primary cause.
- Diet: Helen was initially surprised by Margo’s immediate and eager acceptance of a diverse range of foods offered in her new home, confirming she was a great eater. Further tests revealed no nutritional deficiencies, narrowing down the possibilities.
- Environment: This broad and often perplexing category encompasses everything within a bird’s world – indoor and outdoor factors, smells, sounds, visual stimuli from windows, proximity to doors, interactions with other household pets, opportunities for enrichment and exercise, and even the stress levels of human caregivers. It’s an extensive list, making it challenging to pinpoint a single environmental trigger.
We explored every conceivable aspect of Margo’s environment. It seemed unlikely that the plucking was a delayed reaction to her initial ordeal a decade prior; why would it manifest so many years later? We searched for any recent changes that might have significantly impacted Margo, but found nothing out of the ordinary. It was then that I ventured a thought: “Perhaps that’s the problem. Nothing has changed. Maybe she isn’t stimulated enough.” I jokingly reminded Helen that Margo used to “run with a pretty fast crowd.” We shared a laugh.
Rekindling Margo’s Spark
Helen’s approach to problem-solving is nothing short of remarkable; when she commits to something, she does it wholeheartedly. This past weekend, I spoke with Helen again, and the bare patch on Margo’s chest was nearly covered with new feathers, indicating a cessation of the feather-destructive behavior.
Upon asking what she had done, Helen’s response detailed a comprehensive overhaul that began with a new cage for Margo and culminated in the addition of a dedicated bird room to their house, with numerous changes implemented in between.
Helen shared that the most significant breakthrough came when she began to forgive herself for not recognizing Margo’s internal distress sooner. She became convinced that her own anxiety over the situation was inadvertently exacerbating Margo’s plucking. As Helen found her own sense of calm, Margo began to respond positively to the environmental and emotional adjustments Helen was implementing.
Key Takeaways for Bird Owners
This experience with Margo offers two vital messages for every bird owner:
- Persistence is Paramount: Never give up on finding a solution. Explore every avenue and try everything. Crucially, do not dismiss an idea simply because it seems too minor to have a significant impact on your bird. If you’ve exhausted all options, revisit those you initially overlooked.
- Self-Compassion is Essential: If your bird is a plucker, do not view yourself as a deficient owner. This behavior can occur even in homes where birds receive the utmost care. Blaming yourself will only hinder your ability to find a resolution.
Author Patty Jourgensen specializes in avian health, behavior, and nutrition, with extensive experience caring for rescue birds since 1987.
