Black edges on feathers

[Rio Mom]

River has black edges on his feathers now. (he's pretty much finished with a molt) I'm not sure what could be causing it. He gets an excellent diet, full spectrum lighting, time out to play, all that good stuff. I've googled and found lots of green cheeks out there with the same thing. Some people suggested "feather bronzing"? or that it just may be a green cheek kinda thing? Anybody else with green cheeks seeing this?

 

[IcyWolf]

Billie isn't a green cheek, but his wing and tail feathers are black on the ends. He was like that when we got him and I just assumed that's just how his color is.
These are the only two pictures I have that truly show his colors, I'm still in the process of making friends with my camera

 

[andrea.faerie]

Lucy's the exact same way!

she didn't have them when i first got her...

 

[IcyWolf]

Aww lucy is so cute! Can't let Billie see her picture, he might try to fly to NC for a date

 

[andrea.faerie]

Aww lucy is so cute! Can't let Billie see her picture, he might try to fly to NC for a date

this is her "i'm so cute" pose... you say "Lucy! You're so cute!" and she does this:

 

[andrea.faerie]

billie is quite a handsome boy it must be a common trait to jump in the feed bucket too! haha
I'm a bit concerned about the amount of black on lucy's feathers I think she's gonna go through a molt soon cause she's lookin kinda scruffy haha

 

[Rio Mom]

At least I'm not the only one seeing this! River molted, but I don't think it was a "full molt" if that makes sense? He didn't molt all his feathers, mostly just some body ones, and a couple tail feathers, none of the blue ones, or clipped ones. Andrea, I have that same play gym.

 

[andrea.faerie]

haha I know! I bought it cause I saw your little guy having so much fun with it!

Lucy went through like a body molt too... are any of river's feathers shaped weird? like he hole punched the ends of them? lu's got some that look like she tried to eat her feather lol

 

[Rio Mom]

Hmmmmm I don't think so. River's is just the weird black edging look. If I look close, the black part does kinda make it look like a hole, but it's not really a hole.

 

[Mamanda]

Aww lucy is so cute! Can't let Billie see her picture, he might try to fly to NC for a date

this is her "i'm so cute" pose... you say "Lucy! You're so cute!" and she does this:

What play gym is this and where did you & RioMom get it?

 

[Rio Mom]

It's this Super Pet Feathered Fun Desktop Activity Center at PETCO got it at petco, I just sit it on a table, but you can hang it too.

 

[andrea.faerie]

i use the chain to hang toys i make mine sits tabletop as well i got mine at petco as well

 

[Mamanda]

i use the chain to hang toys i make mine sits tabletop as well i got mine at petco as well

Awesome - Thank you! And what toys do you make?

 

[JamesC]

Both of my blue crowns are black edged as well to varying degrees with Tootsie having a significant amount more. Tail feathers are green edged all the way to the tips, though. Tootsie's blue feathers on her head are kind of white edged (see profile pic) giving her feathers a much grayer look to them than Rosa's. I have photos of Tootsie from 10 or so years ago and she is much brighter and fuller green. I had thought that the black edges was just a sign of her getting old. I'm going up to my avian vet on Monday and if my old and failing memory does not fail me I'll ask about it while there. But since I'm going to be concentrating on learning how to give Tootsie a shot I might not remember.

 

[andrea.faerie]

i use the chain to hang toys i make mine sits tabletop as well i got mine at petco as well

Awesome - Thank you! And what toys do you make?

I make all kind of toys. hanging (fan of bells ), kill it toys, foot toys, shreddables, and now birdie bread too I'm not very good... the kill it toys i make look ridiculous, kind of like little monsters haha
I'm just not too good with sewing. lol

 

[Amber]

Does it look like this? My breeder called it 'bronzing'. It's supposedly from when the bird grooms a patch of feathers so much they lose the pigment! It can also be from them just rubbing together, it's just general wear and tear. But black 'lines' rather then the bronzing patches on green feathers can indicate stress bars.

 

[Rio Mom]

It looks just like that Amber. Not lines. I had heard of the "stress bars", but since this didn't look like lines, I wasn't sure what was going on.

 

[andrea.faerie]

That's exactly what Lucy looks like I feel much better now! I was worried I was doing something wrong!
Thanks, Amber (and Alex too naturally )

 

[Atwee921]

Sprite has that. The vet said its the same thing as stress bars Dx

 

[Pedro]

Stress bars & bronzing can also be caused by illness, even a low grade infection the bird is trying to fight or not the correct diet for the bird. I have also read that this is caused by a clutch of babies playing rough but in my experience haven't noticed it with my babies.