Brown feathers on cockatoos

[iloveallthebirds]

Hello,

I've just recently changed location and there are many wild cockatoos here (Whitsunday islands in Queensland, Australia).

I've noticed that many of them have brown feathers around their beaks, and on their bodies too.

They look a lot like this:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/reyanimated/5230536093

I'm wondering why this is? And if there's anything I can do to potentially help them if they're unwell?

Thank you!

Delilah

 

[Laurasea]

Looks like they had fun in some wet dirt to me

 

[noodles123]

yup-looks like they were digging in mud with clay in it, and they probably were..

BUT!!!!

PBFD can lead to brown feathers and it is a problem everywhere, but especially in Australia.

<<-PBFD in early stages

Here is another:

 

[SailBoat]

There is another Thread started by the OP that is the same subject as this one.


The distribution appears to lean toward something that they are coming in contact with that is staining the surface of their feathers. The color does not appear to be a shift in the reflective natural of the feathers i.e. the feathers themselves not changing color, they are surface stained.

IF this is common across the Island, it is likely either in the clay or dirt that they are foraging on /in or using to reduce the toxic load of a food source(s) on the Island. If local, then the clay or dirt source would be specific to that area and the food source(s).

FYI: As the Parrots wash themselves and/or enjoying a rain shower this would normally reduce the staining. But with white feathers, it would take much longer. Dawn (original) dish soap is commonly used to wash oil and other contaminates off the body and feathers. That implies that each Parrot would need to be caught, wash, rise, rise again, dried and return to the wild. But, assuming that the staining (clay or dirt) is common in their environment it would be highly stressful for the birds and of no benefit.

 

[iloveallthebirds]

Looks like they had fun in some wet dirt to me

Thank you! I really hope so!

 

[iloveallthebirds]

yup-looks like they were digging in mud with clay in it, and they probably were..

BUT!!!!

PBFD can lead to brown feathers and it is a problem everywhere, but especially in Australia.

<<-PBFD in early stages

Here is another:

Thank you so much for going to the effort to reply to this and even post some photos!

I really hope it's not the dreaded PBFD! I've witnessed birds die from this back in my home town of Brisbane and it was so horrendous to behold.

Apart from the colouration, they look very healthy so I hope you're right and they've just been playing in some mud.

Australia's wildlife has taken a battering right now with all the bushfires so I'm keeping a particular eye on all the wildlife and trying to educate myself so I know as much about all our little creatures as I possibly can in case I can help in any small way.

Thank you once again!

 

[Scott]

Thank you for caring, Delilah. Wildlife needs all the help it can collectively receive!

 

[iloveallthebirds]

There is another Thread started by the OP that is the same subject as this one.


The distribution appears to lean toward something that they are coming in contact with that is staining the surface of their feathers. The color does not appear to be a shift in the reflective natural of the feathers i.e. the feathers themselves not changing color, they are surface stained.

IF this is common across the Island, it is likely either in the clay or dirt that they are foraging on /in or using to reduce the toxic load of a food source(s) on the Island. If local, then the clay or dirt source would be specific to that area and the food source(s).

FYI: As the Parrots wash themselves and/or enjoying a rain shower this would normally reduce the staining. But with white feathers, it would take much longer. Dawn (original) dish soap is commonly used to wash oil and other contaminates off the body and feathers. That implies that each Parrot would need to be caught, wash, rise, rise again, dried and return to the wild. But, assuming that the staining (clay or dirt) is common in their environment it would be highly stressful for the birds and of no benefit.

Thank you so much for this thorough and informative reply! I've never seen these markings on cockatoos before elsewhere in mainland QLD (where I lived). So yes, maybe the cockatoos here on the Whitsunday islands - or maybe just the island I'm on (Hayman Island)? - are foraging in/on some dirt/clay that is specific to this area. It's hard for me to know as I haven't travelled too extensively here in the islands but I would say the majority of the birds here have this colouring on them to some degree.

The photo I posted was taken by someone else but looks *exactly* like the cockatoos I've seen here. I'm not sure where they took the photo, although whatever was going on with this bird (in the photo I posted) I think it is likely is happening to the cockatoos I'm seeing.

I've very interested in this statement "The color does not appear to be a shift in the reflective natural of the feathers i.e. the feathers themselves not changing color, they are surface stained."

What would a shift in the natural reflective of the feathers indicate? I'm trying to learn as much as I can about the native wildlife here because Australia's wildlife has taken such a battering lately with all the bushfires and I'm on a mission to do anything I can to educate myself and possibly do anything in my power to help out if appropriate.

Thank you once again for your reply!

 

[SailBoat]

The feather's structure are created to reflect specific light waves (color) as light reflects off them. When that structure is changed the reflective color changes.