Newbie - Molt or Not?

[Aaralynn8075]

Hi friends!

We rescued a 19 year old harlequin macaw about 2 months ago. 2 days ago, we noticed he lost a long flight feather on 1 wing. Today he lost the same feather on the other wing. I do not see any pin feathers but I do see lots of the soft downy-like feathers on the underside of his wings. Does this sounds like normal molting or does this need a vet visit?

We are new parronts so just want to make sure he is happy and healthy!

Thanks!

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

Normal

 

[DonnaBudgie]

They say that they molt symmetrically- same feather on both sides at around the same time. It may take a few weeks before you see the new feathers starting to grow in. Just so ypu know while they are growing in they have a strong blood supply. If they break at this stage they can bleed profusely.

Your new bird is gorgeous!

 

[SailBoat]

As DonnaBudgie states large Parrots loose their wing and tail feathers symmetrically (balanced) as the one you photographed is likely a Secondary wing feather from the left side.

It is very important to remember that flight feathers require extensive energy requirements to provide and as a result this group of Parrots tend to mold wing and tail feathers year around. With body feathers they tend to mold prior to mating season as to have the best feathers to display themselves.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Make sure your macaw has lots of nutritious food while feathers are developing. The quality of the new feathers will be better if all nutritional needs are met. If not, the feathers will be of poor quality. Large birds don't replace flight feathers and tail feathers more than about once a year.

 

[SailBoat]

Make sure your macaw has lots of nutritious food while feathers are developing. The quality of the new feathers will be better if all nutritional needs are met. If not, the feathers will be of poor quality. Large birds don't replace flight feathers and tail feathers more than about once a year.

Not sure where you heard that large parrots replace all their flight feathers in one year. It is not uncommon for them to adjust the rate of replacement based on their general health. The large flight feathers of the wing and tail demand extensive reserves to create replacements. It is more common for those feathers to take 2 to 4+ years to replace all their wing and tail feathers.

Our long experience with Older, commonly ill Amazon's has supported the statements of our Avian Vet.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I was off on the time! With smaller birds they tend to replace big feathers about once a year. You know more about big birds than I do that's for sure. It's been many years since I had a bigger bird. Thanks for setting me straight.

 

[JjEjFjF]

Make sure your macaw has lots of nutritious food while feathers are developing. The quality of the new feathers will be better if all nutritional needs are met. If not, the feathers will be of poor quality. Large birds don't replace flight feathers and tail feathers more than about once a year.

Feathers are mostly protein. Protein is one of the key nutrients during molting.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Aaaah, yes. The yearly molt! My old farts have started, as has my White capped pionus, Vortex. She floofs and downfeathers are very-freaking-where.

Birds love eggs and shells this time of the year. Maybe one egg a week is good for them. Any more than that and it could trigger hormones. They need protein and calcium to help make new feathers.

 

[Aaralynn8075]

Thank you all! I just love this group. Thank you for helping the newbs like us!

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

Not sure where you heard that large parrots replace all their flight feathers in one year. It is not uncommon for them to adjust the rate of replacement based on their general health. The large flight feathers of the wing and tail demand extensive reserves to create replacements. It is more common for those feathers to take 2 to 4+ years to replace all their wing and tail feathers.

Our long experience with Older, commonly ill Amazon's has supported the statements of our Avian Vet.

Having had 50 years of macaw molting experience, I would say large tail and wing feathers are molted about every 2-3 years. It is hard to keep track. My bird has one wonky wing feather that looks moth eaten on the very edges. Each time it is molted, it comes back looking the same. That is the only feather that is not like the other gorgeous feathers, so I suppose that is the only way for me to track the molting. Once upon a time I recorded the loss (yay!) in the calendar, but I lost track. It has definitely been hanging around (and bugging me) for more than a year! in the past few days my bird has just started to lose a few mid-wing feathers and a bit of down. Maybe this season his mutated wing feather will fall out and be replaced by a perfect feather. I can dream, right?