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Photos of stress feathers

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Allessa

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Ive always heard the term, but cant see to find a pic when i google it. Mikas tail looks a bit funny to me..a friend of mine said maybe its stress feathers. It looks like the feathers are curling in a bit. It could be just me..i cant compare it to Cloud because its going thru a heavy molt and has no tail :rofl:

I tried to get a pic, but my flash is being weird. He was physically seen by a vet when he first came home, and he didnt mention it..but i also didnt really notice it until now (unless i wasnt looking under his tail :confused:)

So if you guys have pics of stress feathers, please post them!! I want to see if theyre anything close to what his tail is looking like
 

waterfaller1

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I was told Cochise had 'stress bars' on his feathers when he came home with me. I still don't exactly know what that means, but I do know he glistens now.
 

waterfaller1

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I don't know if you can tell the difference from the pics.Here is Cochise when he first came here

and now


In the link you posted Deb, you can tell easily.
 

Nelson & Gang

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I know this is an old topic … but I wanted to add some information that I had previously put together for future reference on the “stress bar” question … or of course, just general information if anyone is interested …

Below is the best picture I could find of stress bars ...

Stress Bars

In my experience stress bars in 'toos are generally lighter or darker lines appearing through the feathers. In some cases in U2s I've seen them actually as thin, almost see through lines. Generally they molt out, or grow out w/ the feathers and are not usually a cause for concern.

I liked this article for giving some clarification of stress bars as opposed to rough play, feather growth complications, etc.

Article on Feathers & Stress Bars

There is another article HERE by Eb Craven @ the Gabriel Foundation.

Occasional stress bars are not uncommon, but if you see them regularly, or a LOT of them, it should be cause for concern and you should make a trip to the vet. Stress bars can occur for a wide # of reasons, like poor diet, other health problems (liver damage, breathing problems, etc.), not just plain stress.

Other health concerns can also change the colors of feathers growing in ... example ... a Blue & Gold macaw w/ a liver problem may streak green and orange into the feather growth.
 

Birdiemarie

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Thanks for the info, Dana. :)
 

Lauren and Jack

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okay... I have read and read and read about them... How do you make them go away?
 

Skyler

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When I took Cricket (this is the quaker that was mailed) for his first vet visit the vet pointed out all the stress bars (black lines all the way across his tail--both sides) and the general drab brown grey feathering that should have been greener. The vet said it wasn't from the "mailing" but had to have been from a near fatal illness as a baby. ---- Now most of the bars have all almost grown out.

So I'm guessing that with no further repeats of illness or near starvation the stress bars go away as they are replaced with normal feather growth. I will look and see if you can see them on his first pics with me.
 

Sunnyside

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The other day I was going through my collected feathers for my Vet (his child is doing a project and needs feathers). I came across Button's tail feather that she molted some time ago and it shows stress bars. She also had discoloration of her tail feathers. My Vet determined it was poor diet, her tests all came back good even with a poor diet. Today, she doesn't have stress bars and the discoloration is pretty much gone but it wasn't always like that. I am glad I saved this tail feather :)

View attachment 90457
 

Jazzysmama

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Wow, thanks for this info, I knew nothing about stress bars.
 

jmfleish

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I have some good pictures of some pretty extreme stress bars from Tuchis when he was really little at the following link:

Feathers

They are where the feather is actually breaking across. These are very severe.
 

Ming-Ming

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Looking at the first post with the senegal.
That looks like bronzing to me.

Bronzing is usually with young birds through rough play and activity, the pigment in their feathers go away.
Stress bars look more like the other posts where the colour looks sort of faded in the middle of the feather.
When Douglas was a baby he had major bronzing.

(minus his butchered wing feathers)

27081_10150150912265788_597890787_11639112_7022573_n.jpg

Since the senegal is so young, i am 80% sure it is bronzing.
 

Jocund^eternal

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Sorry, the first pic is kind of hard to see, but when I first got Moony the vet told me she had a couple stress bars, but now they are all gone :)
1017112017-00.jpg moony march2nd 042.JPG
 
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