Moulting or plucking?

[Milo]

New owners need to be aware of this pattern to prevent worrying about mites, skin and feather follicle infections, and Beak & Feather Disease (PBFD). Of Course a prudent owner would still arrange a Avian vet consultation. Just to be on the safe side.

Because they are a highly susceptible species (along with greys and cockatoos), eclectus new to the home SHOULD be tested for PBFD. Rosco tested positive for it and the only thing off about his feathers was a little rough patch on the back of his head. Of course this could also be normal for eclectus and the virus was an incidental finding. It is, unfortunately, mostly a disease of young birds. Rosco's story is unusual in that he tested positive twice, but three years later was tested again and came up negative. Young birds can go years before they are symptomatic, meaning that they can look totally normal while shedding the virus.

I don't say this to scare anyone, but people certainly need to be aware that it is a possibility.

 

[EsJ87]

My girls head feathers have mostly gown back at this point. And the Avian vet said no health concerns at all. So I believe she was just going through a normal molt that looked kinda odd. While the picture provided is great - it is not exactly what I've observed. Instead its as if she clips her long feather at about the halfway point. So I'll find like half a primary on the bottom of the cage. Or a full shorter feather that looks as if it has been clipped at the base.