Birds can show few clear signs of illness for a long time. This is partly due to their natural behaviour. Many bird species are prey animals, and visible weakness can make them more vulnerable in the wild.
In birds kept by people, too, the first signs of illness can therefore be subtle. A bird may still look relatively normal while a health problem is already present.
For bird keepers it is therefore important not only to recognise obvious symptoms, but above all to notice changes compared with their bird's normal behaviour.
How can you recognise a sick bird?
Recognising a sick bird starts with one important question: what is normal for your bird?
Every bird is different. An active parrot that suddenly becomes noticeably quiet, for example, may be giving an important signal. The same applies to changes in song, food intake, social behaviour or activity.
Possible signs include:
- being less active or less alert;
- sleeping more than usual;
- singing, calling or communicating less;
- sitting fluffed up for long periods;
- eating or drinking clearly less;
- weight loss;
- changes in the droppings;
- sitting lower on the perch or staying on the floor of the cage or aviary;
- balance problems or general weakness;
- changes in breathing;
- changes to the feathers, eyes, nostrils or beak.
However, a single symptom is not a diagnosis. Different conditions can cause similar signs, and some changes may also have another, harmless explanation.
My bird is fluffed up: is it ill?
A bird that sits fluffed up raises its feathers and therefore looks bigger and rounder. This is not always a sign of illness. Birds may, for example, fluff up their feathers temporarily while resting or to retain warmth.
But is your bird fluffed up for a long time and at the same time quieter, less alert, eating less or showing other unusual behaviour? Then this may be a sign that something is wrong.
So don't just look at the fluffing itself, but at the bird's overall behaviour and any other changes.
My bird is not eating or eating less: when is that a concern?
A clear or persistent change in food intake deserves attention.
Also look out for other changes. Is your bird fluffed up, sleeping more, losing weight or less active, for example? A combination of abnormalities may be a reason to seek veterinary advice sooner.
A bird that is no longer eating, or hardly eating, and is visibly weakening or deteriorating quickly must be assessed by an avian vet as soon as possible.
My bird sleeps a lot: is that normal?
Birds naturally need rest and sleep. What matters most is whether the sleeping behaviour has changed compared with what is normal for your bird.
A bird that suddenly sleeps much more during the day, is less active or responds less to its surroundings may not be feeling well.
Especially when sleeping a lot goes together with sitting fluffed up, eating less, weight loss or other changes in behaviour, this deserves extra attention.
My bird is breathing heavily or with difficulty: what should I do?
Changes in breathing can be an important warning sign.
Look out, for example, for:
- clearly increased breathing effort;
- breathing with an open beak;
- noticeable breathing sounds;
- a tail that clearly moves up and down with every breath, also known as tail bobbing.
A bird that is clearly struggling to breathe must be assessed quickly by an avian vet.
Try to keep a bird with breathing difficulties as calm as possible and limit unnecessary handling and stress. With clear breathing problems, do not wait to see whether the symptoms disappear on their own.
Why do weight and body condition matter?
A change in body weight can provide important information about your bird's health and condition.
The plumage can partly hide changes in body condition. A bird may therefore look little changed from the outside while its body weight or muscle mass is in fact decreasing.
Weighing regularly can help you notice changes earlier. Preferably use an accurate gram scale, always the same scale, and compare measurements under conditions that are as similar as possible, for example at around the same time of day.
Don't look at a single number, but above all at the trend compared with your bird's normal weight.
Moreover, weight is not the same as body condition. During a physical examination, an avian vet can assess, among other things, muscle mass and overall body condition. Weighing is therefore a useful tool, but no substitute for a clinical assessment.
When should you act quickly?
Contact an avian vet quickly if your bird:
- is clearly struggling to breathe or breathing with an open beak;
- is no longer eating, or hardly eating;
- is severely weakened;
- suddenly shows balance problems or other neurological signs;
- is losing blood;
- stays on the floor of the cage or aviary for long periods;
- or deteriorates clearly within a short time.
These signs do not automatically tell you which condition your bird has. They can, however, indicate that a prompt veterinary assessment is needed.
When should you take a sick bird to the vet?
If your bird shows clear signs of illness, abnormalities persist or you are worried about changes in behaviour, weight or condition, it is wise to contact an avian vet.
NeorniVet is a veterinary practice specialised in birds. An avian vet can discuss your bird's history, carry out a clinical examination and assess whether further diagnostic tests are advisable.
More information about NeorniVet
When might further testing be needed?
Similar signs of illness can have different causes. Looking at symptoms alone is therefore not always enough to establish exactly what is going on.
Based on the history, the clinical examination and possible causes, a vet can decide which additional tests make sense in a specific situation.
Depending on the situation, this may include blood tests, faecal tests, microbiological tests or PCR testing.
NeorniLab is a specialised avian laboratory that supports vets and bird keepers with laboratory testing in birds.
Discover NeorniLab's disease tests
What can you do yourself for your bird's health?
Good daily care remains important. Think of suitable food, appropriate housing, hygiene and attention to your bird's general condition and normal behaviour.
Targeted nutritional support can be part of this. Vita-Plus is a multivitamin supplement for birds, developed as a complement to the daily diet and to support general condition.
Supplements are separate from making a diagnosis or treating a disease. If your bird is ill or you suspect something is wrong, veterinary advice is recommended.
Know your bird
Birds can show few clear signs of illness for a long time. That is exactly why it is valuable to know what is normal for your bird.
A change can start small: sleeping more, singing less, sitting fluffed up for long periods, eating less, weight loss or different behaviour.
Know your bird, watch for changes and, if abnormalities persist or there are clear signs of illness, contact an avian vet in good time.
