What in the world is this?

[tab_xo]

I saw this picture on facebook, what in the world is wrong with this macaw?

I have never seen anything like it before

I am fairly sure its not photoshopped, unless they are very good at photoshopping :20:

 

[Betrisher]

Good grief! It looks like swollen parotid glands (mumps). Although, I don't think macaws *have* parotid glands to swell up like that. The only other thing I can think of is some kind of infection where the facial skin is swollen with lymph or pus. Are you sure it's not photoshopped? It just seems so - so - unlikely - doesn't it?

 

[Calace]

Holy cow!
I *hope* that's photoshopped!!!

 

[tab_xo]

Apparently its at some kind of bird park zoo or something like that.. and people ask them if its a tumour, but apparently its not :S

You would think if it was something serious then it would be dead?


But, the white part on Fargo's cheek is all hard.. its the skeleton there, so i dont even understand how it would be able to puff it out?

and the skin couldn't stretch that much :S

So strange!

 

[tab_xo]

This was the caption to it on facebook-

I had not seen this guy on my previous visit. He climbed down off of the tree stumps where the macaws tend to congregate, in order to partake of carrots and almonds. I was at first outraged that the zoo staff would allow such large tumors to go untreated. My boyfriend helpfully pointed out the information the zoo staff had posted about this bird, apparently because they had gotten so many inquiries as to what's wrong with him. He supposedly does not have any type of tumor, he just likes to puff out his cheeks. The zoo staff doesn't know why.




Thats supposedly the story, unless it is photoshopped and someone made a little story to go with it!

 

[Calace]

Does it say what zoo? A quick google search didn't give any results... I'm thinking it must be fake. As you said it's bone there and could the skin even stretch like that? Very bizarre!

 

[tab_xo]

Nope it doesn't say which zoo :/


Look, here is bone structure of a macaws face..


The only thing i can think of, is underneath a macaws jaw, its like an open section, and it has skin across it...

SO the macaw could puff from under there, and the air (?) puffs up to the side of the face?

 

[tab_xo]

Does that make sense?

That seems to be the only way i can think of..

If he can somehow get the air there? Then he pushes it up to the side of his face, and it just stretches the skin out like a big puffer fish

 

[Mike17]

There are many birds which can puff out their cheeks, or throat sacs, frigate birds come to mind, but I haven't heard of parrots being able to do it. It seems to be too symmetrical to be a tumour, though. Perhaps an avian vet would know... but we need one to see this bizarre pic.

 

[Calace]

But do you think he'd even be able to seal his beak tight enough to keep the air in there? Like with us, we have to close our lips air tight to puff cheeks up...
It just hit me how hilarious it is that we are even discussing the possibility of a macaw puffing it's cheeks!

 

[SpotsandSally]

So the story confuses me. Does his face always look like That, or just when he 'puffs' it up?


Bizarre.

 

[tab_xo]

Oh wow really Mike!!!

Is there a reason those birds would be able to do it but a parrot wouldn't? Does he have a mutated air sac or something that allows him to do it :S


You would think if it was a tumour he would be very very very sick!



HAHA Calace, i am now sitting here puffing my cheeks up trying to figure it out



Spotsandsally- i have no idea!! It doesn't say.. :S Wish i could find which zoo it was from..

I tried googling- macaw puffing cheeks out.

But there doesn't seem to be any results about it

 

[tab_xo]

and could the skin actually stretch that much?!?!?!?

 

[TessieB]

I'm surprised this zoo allows this bird to mingle with the public. Normally if a ward at a zoo has such an obvious problem he or she is isolated for observation-and to keep the affected patient out of the public eyes. If this photo is not altered I would guess this Macaw is suffering from sinus drainage problem (discharge can't drain and becomes thick and keeps collecting in the sinus cavity) or inflamed air sacs.

 

[BACON]

It's not just his cheeks. Looks like the back of his necks puffed up too!!

BUT. If there was a hole or something, somewhere in his jaw allowing that, wouldn't it be a food trap?? Plus as has been mentioned a macaw wouldn't be able to seal it's beak enough to do that?!!

A frigate bird has a special air sac on the front in inflates surely!! And I believe it's only the males?? ( guessing now) !!!

 

[Birdman666]

NOPE! Seen that one before.

It looks like burst air sacs. Usually from neglected birds who screamed until their air sacs popped...

Those would be lower on his chest if they hadn't burst. So when this bird is puffing up his chest like macaws do, he puffs his cheeks.

I notice he's a plucker too, which fits. He can live just fine like that. Looks funny though...

 

[ParkersMom]

it's inflated air sacs...when they get infected or clogged the skin bubbles like that...It is one of the things we are dealing with on Charlie...hers are on her back though. you can drain/pop them with a needle ans syringe but they will usually come back when the bird is stressed or breathing to hard...they can also put in stints but the bird will usually pull them out. for the most part they aren't painful they just get in the way

 

[crimson]

....this just looks really weird....

 

[Megapixel]

I don't understand.
There's a picture and an explanation of the picture and yet people insist on tossing away the facts they've been given and create their own story about how horrible it is.

 

[GaryBV]

I would have thought that was a faked picture except for the fact that I can clearly see it's skin and the follicles where the feathers are attached. That picture sure was attention grabbing lol