Common Bird Illnesses guide | Birdsville bird specialists

This page covers the most common bird illnesses and issues, explained simply for the everyday bird owner. It walks through the basics of bird diseases, diet-related issues, behavioural issues and environmental causes, and what you can do about each one.

Is My Bird Sick? First Steps, Bird Stress and Environment, Poor Diet in Birds, Environmental Causes of Ill Bird Health, Bird Stressors, Contaminated Water and Food, Unclean Conditions, Disease Spread by Wild Birds Insects and Rodents, Injuries, Feather Plucking in Parrots, Internal Parasites, External Parasites, Yeast and Fungal Infections, Viruses in Birds, Bacteria in Birds, Other Conditions Birds Can Get, When to See a Vet, Frequently Asked Questions, Recommended Vets and Links, Quick Reference Table

Is My Bird Sick? First Steps

Most good bird specialists, including us, stock a soluble broad-spectrum antibiotic powder to treat gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including chlamydia, actinomycetes, mycoplasma, protozoa and larger viruses. We stock Triple C and Oxymav B, along with a whole range of other first-line defence medications.

While a bird is injured, stressed or unwell, we recommend a first-aid supplement such as Polly Aid Plus, Critta Care or First Aid Emergency Nutrition. These won’t cure the underlying problem, but they give the bird the energy it needs to fight it off.

Without a heat lamp, even in summer, electrolytes and antibiotics often can’t do their job properly. Birdsville stocks a number of heat globes suitable for 24-hour use that won’t disrupt your bird’s sleep patterns.

Bird Stress and Environment

Just like humans and any other animal, birds can develop a whole host of issues stemming from environmental factors, genetics or disease organisms. Every day, birds are exposed to microorganisms and potential infections from the air, nature, insects, clothing, human hands, essentially every part of their environment. The best way to keep your bird healthy is to build a strong immune system capable of fighting disease, while keeping their environment clean and the bird mentally stimulated and happy.

A bird fed a low-quality diet is usually easy to spot, just as a bird brimming with health is. Vitamin deficiency plays a big role in the decline of a bird’s immune function. We have detailed healthy diet programs on our individual bird care pages, and our team can run you through a healthy diet plan in-store. In general, malnutrition, an unclean environment, genetics, stress and simple bad luck can all play a part in whether a bird develops disease.

Below is a basic overview of the common avian diseases, their symptoms and the basics of each. Many can be managed at home, while others need veterinary attention.

How Disease Develops

Disease from a new colony: older birds can be asymptomatic carriers of a whole host of avian diseases for many years without ever showing visible health issues. Infected birds can spread disease to younger birds with less developed immune systems. Some younger birds will have natural immunity, but as a group they tend to be more susceptible, especially when they’re also stressed by a new environment. Adult birds are generally more resilient.

Disease from an existing condition: birds can carry diseases or fungal infections with no telltale signs at all. Many common bird diseases are carried without ever affecting one bird, while the same disease can be fatal to another. Birds will often mask their symptoms instinctively. Not every bird is the same: many are naturally immune, while others can hatch with a weak immune system and be highly susceptible to disease and pathogens. Just like cats and dogs, some bird diseases can transmit to humans, which is why it’s always worth washing your hands after handling any animal. A bird with a very poor immune system could be carrying more than one disease or fungus at once, simply because it lacks the immunity to fight any of them off.

Disease from the environment: sometimes you can do everything right and a bird will still catch a disease from an unlikely source. Many common bird pathogens spread through the air in tiny dust particles containing dried mucous, droppings and secretions. Wind carries these particles, which can land on a bird or its enclosure through an open window.

Poor Diet in Birds

Nutritional deficiency can lead to a number of nutritional diseases, and can also leave a bird more vulnerable to organisms a strong immune system would normally fight off.

Iodine Deficiency

Goitre is a common issue caused by an underactive thyroid gland, which happens when a bird isn’t getting enough iodine for normal thyroid function. The gland swells as it tries to extract whatever iodine it can from a low-iodine diet. Iodine should always be supplied to captive birds, since they can’t source it naturally the way they would in the wild. Iodine supplements usually last a long time, as birds tend to consume only as much as they instinctively need.

Obesity

Obesity is a common issue in many parrots, especially budgies, galahs and Amazon parrots. The most common cause is a diet too high in fat, or one high in low-quality or unsuitable grains for that species. Our team has spent years emphasising to customers how important diet is. Birdsville stocks high-quality blends with the right grains for every kind of bird, as a bird and small animal specialist.

Fatty Liver Disease

Seed is genuinely healthy for parrots when fed properly and in good quality. Fatty liver disease is possibly the most common issue in pet birds over six months old, and can result from an all-seed diet or one made up of low-grade seed. Many supermarket seed mixes contain a lot of cheaper filler seed, and because it’s often stored in bulk for long periods, it also loses nutritional value over time. Over-consumption of fatty seeds like sunflower and safflower can also contribute to obesity. We stock special seed mixes for birds at risk of fatty liver disease, and if you’re ever unsure, bring a sample in and our team can help. The best outcomes we’ve seen come from quality seed fed alongside vitamins and pellets, not seed alone.

Vitamin A Deficiency

Birds low in vitamin A are more prone to disease and infection, more stress-prone, and more likely to succumb to other conditions as stress lowers their immune function. Birds with healthy vitamin A levels tend to have stronger immune systems and better disease resistance. Our Birdsville blends are formulated with this in mind, and you can also offer spinach, raspberries, endive, strawberries, orange, apple, peach and celery to help meet this need.

Calcium Deficiency

A lack of calcium usually comes from one of two causes: not enough calcium in the diet, or a lack of vitamin D (see below). Calcium deficiency can cause a range of issues, including but not limited to brittle or soft bones, soft nails, a soft beak, problems with egg production, egg binding, brittle eggs and poor feather growth. Providing both calcium and vitamin D as part of a healthy diet, as outlined on our individual bird care pages, will reverse this condition. To avoid it, make sure your bird has access to a calcium bell and shell grit, and if it’s kept indoors, see the vitamin D section below.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Birds can’t produce their own vitamin D and naturally get it from the sun, needing at least 10 hours a week of unfiltered sunlight (glass blocks the relevant UV rays). Where that’s not possible, a vitamin D supplement is the alternative. Birdsville stocks a range of vitamin D supplements at all times.

Environmental Causes of Ill Bird Health

You can control a lot about your bird’s environment, but not everything. The best approach is to keep that environment as clean and safe as possible. Use a good substrate on the base of the enclosure that can be changed regularly. We’ve had great success with shell grit, but stock several other options too, including sand sheets. Make sure the substrate drains well and the enclosure or aviary area has plenty of ventilation, and position food and water bowls away from directly underneath perches so the bird doesn’t foul them.

What Are the Signs of Metal Poisoning in Parrots?

Poisoning can come from anywhere in a bird’s environment, whether that’s the house, cage or aviary. Birds will chew almost anything, including household items like windowsills, keys, jewellery, toys and gadgets, metal buttons and studs, coins, and electrical or plumbing clips, risking zinc or lead poisoning. Rusty old cages and food bowls are a common cause. If an item is rusty, it needs to be removed. Signs of metal poisoning include vomiting, blood in faeces, black or green diarrhoea, convulsions, depression, excess urine in droppings, and a crop that stays full. Heavy metal poisoning needs immediate veterinary attention; no antibiotic can treat it. In humans, symptoms from metal poisoning can take around two weeks to appear, but because birds have a much faster metabolism, symptoms are likely to show up far sooner. This remains a common and unfortunate issue we see, almost always traced back to an old, rusty cage, so it’s always worth checking yours and replacing it if it’s showing rust.

Toxic Foods in Parrots

A number of common foods are toxic to parrots and can cause death. A pet bird flying around the house could simply find a piece of avocado a child has dropped on the floor and quickly become seriously ill. Toxic foods include, but aren’t limited to, onion, garlic, avocado, chocolate, xylitol (an artificial sweetener found in many foods), rat poison and various toxic plants.

Toxic Fumes

Air is the one thing every living creature needs, but not every body handles it the same way. Birds have air sacs that compress air differently to our lungs, meaning what’s safe for us isn’t necessarily safe for them. Fumes from Teflon and other non-stick cookware can kill birds inside a household, because heated Teflon releases microscopic vapours that are toxic when inhaled. Birds are also highly sensitive to smoke, polish, pesticides, bleach, ammonia, detergents, bug repellent, wax, paint thinner, petrol, insecticides, kerosene, lighter fluid, scented candles, household cleaners and other aerosols. When cooking, keep your birds well away from the kitchen. We’ve had reports of birds passing away after a neighbouring house was painted, and finches dying from paint fumes. Birds have extremely sensitive respiratory systems, which is why canaries were historically used in coal mines. Toxic fumes can cause sudden death in birds.

Damp Conditions

A damp environment can develop for a number of reasons: keeping birds somewhere naturally damp like a laundry or backyard space, damp substrate that isn’t cleaned regularly, rotting old fruit, or simply poor ventilation wherever the cage is kept. A water bowl in a bad spot that regularly spills doesn’t help either. Damp conditions are ideal for coccidia, oocysts, bacteria and worm eggs to grow and be picked up by a bird foraging on the floor. Keep the floor dry, and avoid hosing out food bowls inside an enclosure.

Cold Conditions

Cold weather and wind chill can be lethal to birds, especially young birds with underdeveloped immune systems. A bird can get hypothermia, but more commonly, cold conditions simply drop the bird’s core body temperature and immune function together, leaving it vulnerable to viral, bacterial and protozoan infection, sometimes all at once. In the wild or in an aviary, birds huddle together for warmth, which is part of why bringing home a single bird carries a slightly higher risk. A chill is particularly bad for a baby bird, since it weakens the immune system and can lead to illness, while a warm baby with a healthy food supply has a much stronger immune response. Adult birds are less susceptible to cold. In short, keep all birds somewhere dry and free of draughts.

Heat Stroke in Birds

Birds are sensitive to heat and at real risk of heatstroke, particularly if left in a hot car or a cage in direct sunlight or a sunroom. Left too long, heatstroke can be fatal. Panting with dropped wings is a sign your bird may be overheating and at risk.

Bird Stressors

Stress can take many forms and can genuinely be the difference between life and death for some birds. A stressed bird has a compromised immune system, which makes it far more susceptible to disease, and stress alone can be enough to kill a bird in some cases.

Stress can come from predatory animals harassing them, cats, dogs, foxes, rats and other birds. Rats and mice moving around at night will also stress birds. Other stressors include poor husbandry, damp conditions, boredom, loneliness, an incorrect environment, cold, heat, poison, bacteria, viruses, yeast and fungus, natural breeding stress, toxins, mites and lice, worms, protozoa, wet weather, high humidity, breeding behaviours, poor ventilation, low vitamin D, low vitamin A, low minerals, low-quality seed, moulting, other animals, an overzealous mate, injury, a change from a quality diet to a low-grade one, poor diet, fear, night frights, and simple bad luck, such as an insect or dust entering through a window and infecting a bird with disease. Over-handling by kids or adults, especially of young birds, can also cause stress. Humidity above 75% can affect the health of birds, especially species used to dry desert conditions, in both hot and cold weather.

A stressed bird can develop a whole host of conditions at once, because a normally healthy bird would fight off infection, while a stressed bird’s immune system may be unable to fight off several at the same time.

High levels of stress, such as over-handling by excited kids or owners, incorrect handling, or over-stimulation, are common with new birds. We understand it’s an exciting time bringing home a new pet, and it’s hard not to want to play with them straight away, but it’s important to remember they’re young and everything around them is new. Please follow our guidance for the first 3 and 10 days to make sure your baby or adult parrot isn’t over-handled, handled incorrectly, or over-stimulated.

Baby Bird Unweaning Risk from Stress

There’s always a risk of a baby parrot reverting, or “unweaning,” meaning it stops eating on its own. There are many possible reasons, including several of the stressors listed above.

Recognising the signs: the first signs of reverting are a head-bobbing motion, slight wing-flapping while standing in one place, and a begging noise. A baby bird may show one or all of these signs. If you’re concerned, bring the bird in for us to check, or get it started on some hand-rearing formula.

If you think your bird has unweaned, it’s important to act fast, since it will stop feeding itself and can starve within a short time if it stops eating or drinking. An unweaned bird needs hand-rearing formula morning, midday and night. Our team always keeps this product in stock. We also won’t sell a hand-raised bird that hasn’t been self-sufficient for at least a week.

Playing with a baby bird’s beak can make it think it’s being fed, encouraging begging behaviour and adding stress. We recommend avoiding this, as it can trigger begging and may mean reintroducing hand-rearing formula, which we always have in stock.

A sudden change of diet can also create stress. We always recommend a baby bird goes home on the same food it was already eating, provided it was good quality. A baby bird may not recognise a new food as food if the diet is changed too quickly, which can trigger begging behaviour. Seed isn’t just seed, many supermarket and pet chain seed mixes are low grade, meaning a baby bird has to work harder sifting through filler seed to get proper nutrition. That alone can be enough to send a baby bird into a downward spiral of poor health.

Contaminated Water and Food

Contaminated Water

While rare, this can happen through the water supplied to a bird if it contains a pathogen. A water dish placed under a perch where a bird defecates, or near food, can grow high levels of organisms such as algae, coccidian oocysts, bacteria and worm eggs within hours on a warm day, putting a bird’s health at risk. Water should be replaced regularly; we use standard tap water for our birds.

Contaminated Food

A food container can attract insects and vermin, which can spread organisms onto the food a bird eats. Wet foods can grow harmful pathogens surprisingly quickly in warm weather, and moist conditions can cause food to spoil faster generally.

Unclean Conditions

Every bird’s cage needs regular cleaning, and old food shouldn’t be allowed to build up in the cage, on perches or in feeders. Water should be changed daily.

A bird-friendly cage cleaner that’s ready to use, with no need to dilute, is the easiest option: simply spray onto the cage and wipe with a cloth to remove stains, soiling and odour. These are always available at Birdsville.

Don’t allow faeces and old food to build up on the enclosure or aviary floor, as this becomes a haven for potentially dangerous organisms. Any moist food, like fruit and vegetables, should be removed within 24 hours. Perches positioned directly above food dishes will also contaminate the food below them, something we still see far too often when checking customers’ setups in-store. Unclean conditions spread disease, which is why cleaning with a vet-grade disinfectant is so important. We disinfect our own enclosures regularly and recommend customers do the same to keep their birds happy and healthy.

Disease Spread by Wild Birds, Insects and Rodents

Wild birds can carry many diseases and parasites without being affected themselves, but the same diseases can potentially kill a pet bird if it becomes infected. Many of these diseases can be airborne or spread through dust particles in the air.

This risk applies to both indoor and outdoor enclosures. Flies, cockroaches and other insects can bring organisms and parasites to a bird’s food or water dish, or directly onto the bird, when they land or make contact.

Injuries

Fractures, Dislocations and Sprains

Although rare, these can happen to any bird. Breaks, fractures and dislocations need immediate veterinary attention, usually involving splinting or other stabilisation. A sprain will often resolve on its own within a few days to weeks, and the bird will typically favour the leg until it heals. The most common cause in an otherwise healthy bird is the leg getting caught in an awkward position and twisting, often in a toy, cage wire, or carrier wire, where the foot slips through and the bird panics and twists.

Bruising, Cuts and Impact Injuries

Free-ranging birds in a home can be spooked and fly into doors and windows. Birds in an enclosure can experience a night fright and slam into the side of the cage, sometimes seriously enough to break their neck. Birds can also be injured by other birds, cats, dogs, doors, stoves, hot water, or by drowning in a toilet or dog bowl. When a feather is cleanly pulled out it will usually regrow, but if the follicle itself is damaged, it can cause ongoing problems and may need veterinary attention.

Night Fright

Finding an injured or deceased bird at the bottom of the enclosure is an unfortunate and shocking experience, and can sometimes be mistaken for a stroke, heart attack or Sudden Death Syndrome (below). Night frights happen because birds are naturally a prey species, and even asleep they stay alert to noise or vibration as a survival instinct. A fright can be triggered by another bird moving suddenly, a loud noise, a bright light, lightning, a possum or bat outside, or a barking dog. Sometimes the cause is never identified. Night frights can affect any parrot species at any age, but are most common in younger birds.

Sudden Death Syndrome

Similar to SADS in adults and SIDS in infants, small birds are more susceptible, but it can occur in larger birds too, where an apparently healthy bird passes away with no obvious cause. Theories include fright, being startled, fumes, heat stroke, heart attack, stroke or night fright. A full post-mortem often comes back inconclusive. Unfortunately, no one can guarantee a living creature’s life from one day to the next, but following the guidance on this page and on our individual bird care pages gives your pet the best possible chance of a long, healthy life.

Consuming a Foreign Body

Birds love to chew on almost anything, and some will swallow fibrous material they shouldn’t. It’s thought that birds without enough behavioural enrichment are more likely to ingest things they normally wouldn’t. A foreign body can cause a crop impaction, stopping normal bodily function and potentially leading to death if untreated. Signs include a swollen crop or general depression. This needs immediate veterinary attention. One of the most common choking hazards is cotton, so avoid toys or materials containing it. If you’re ever unsure about a toy’s materials, ask our team in-store.

Inhaled Items

If a bird inhales a foreign object, such as a seed, into its windpipe, it can block the airway or settle in the lungs and cause infection. This always needs veterinary attention.

Feather Plucking in Parrots

This condition is unfortunately common. It can usually be told apart from beak and feather disease because the missing feathers are within reach of the beak, so the head tends to look normal while the chest, legs, rump and back can be bald. Feather plucking usually comes down to a combination of a few causes: a lack of behavioural enrichment, a diet deficiency, or a change to normal routine. It’s genuinely worth treating early, since it tends to get worse the longer it continues. See our separate guide on feather plucking in parrots for more detail.

Lack of enrichment: usually from being left in the cage for long periods with nothing interesting to do, part of why we carry such a wide range of bird toys in-store.

Diet deficiency: birds on an unhealthy, low-grade or fatty diet are far more likely to pluck. We’ve had great success with our low-fat, high-protein blends.

Change of routine: birds are creatures of habit, so a broken routine (say, an owner going on holiday) can trigger plucking. For this reason we’ve never recommended locking your bird into a rigid daily routine, since any disruption to it can be enough to set plucking off. Try to vary things where you can.

Internal Parasites

Worm Infestations

A range of worms can affect birds, most commonly roundworms, hairworms and tapeworms. A vet-prescribed dewormer such as Wormout Gel is the standard treatment.

Protozoan Infections

Protozoa are single-celled parasitic organisms. To reduce the risk of infection, keep your birds away from wild birds, rats and mice where possible.

Toxoplasmosis

Has an incubation period of roughly 5 to 23 days before symptoms appear.

Coccidiosis

This parasite lives in the intestinal lining and can cause haemorrhaging, making it harder for a bird to absorb nutrients. Signs include depression, weight loss and diarrhoea, sometimes with blood present. Most infected animals are asymptomatic, though young or immunocompromised birds can become seriously ill. Coccidiosis is generally species-specific, spread bird to bird, and by cockroaches and flies carrying it mechanically from droppings to food or water. The parasite’s egg (oocyst) has a hard shell and can survive on the ground for long periods. The lifecycle completes in 2 to 5 days, so numbers build quickly, with symptoms usually appearing around 8 days after exposure.

Trichomoniasis (Canker)

This protozoan can affect a bird anywhere from the mouth to the crop. Signs include vomiting, weight loss, yawning, neck stretching, depression, and green, runny or loose droppings. It spreads through direct mouth-to-mouth contact or contaminated food and water. Unlike coccidiosis, it doesn’t form a resistant cyst, so it doesn’t survive long in the environment. Incubation is roughly 5 to 28 days.

Giardia

Incubation is typically 1 to 14 days. Birds can pick it up from contaminated drinking water. This parasite lives in the digestive tract and forms cysts shed in the faeces. Common symptoms include discoloured, foul-smelling diarrhoea with mucus, loss of appetite, dull or oily-looking feathers, and lethargy.

External Parasites

Quill Mites

These mites feed on feather quills and dust, irritating and stressing the bird and leaving it more vulnerable to disease. Treated with Avimec or Mite and Lice Spray.

Red Mites

These often live in tiny gaps in and around the aviary during the day, coming out at night to bite and feed on the bird’s blood. Beyond the stress this causes, it can also lead to anaemia. Also treated with Avimec.

Air Sac Mite

A fairly common issue in Australian birds, living in the air sacs and windpipe. It’s most often seen in canaries and finches, and occasionally in smaller parrots and cockatiels. Signs include open-mouth breathing, a bird that’s stopped singing or chirping, heavy breathing, and audible wheezing when the bird is held close to your ear. Left untreated, this condition is fatal, but the treatment is straightforward: an ointment applied to the bird’s back that gradually kills the mites. This treatment, available at Birdsville, also clears any other mites present, including scaly mite, at the same time. We recommend a precautionary broad-spectrum antibiotic in the water alongside treatment, since a stressed bird can develop a secondary infection as the mites die off. We always keep avian broad-spectrum antibiotics in stock.

Scaly Face

Most often seen in budgies, canaries and finches, though it can affect any bird, including chickens. Signs include crusty-looking skin on the face, legs and feet, and occasionally the rump. Left untreated it’s fatal, but it’s easily treated with Avimec or scaly face ointment, both stocked at Birdsville, which kill the mites and allow the skin to heal. While treating, it’s worth keeping your bird on a good-quality seed mix with vitamins added to their water to support the immune system. If you’re ever unsure, bring your bird in-store and we can check it and offer advice on preventing it spreading to other birds.

Yeast and Fungal Infections

Several species of yeast and fungus affect birds, including candida, aspergillus, cryptococcus, malassezia and macrorhabdus, each with its own variations.

Candida (Candidiasis)

Very common in the environment. Fresh fruit, vegetables and moist organic material shouldn’t be left in the enclosure too long, since spoiled food harbours candida, and water should be changed at least twice daily. General poor hygiene also allows candidiasis to take hold, so regular cleaning with a cage cleaner or F10 disinfectant is recommended. Immature birds may develop candidiasis spontaneously, possibly linked to cold drafts or weather, since juveniles have less-developed gastrointestinal defences. One of the most common sources is soaked or sprouted seed. This isn’t a reason to avoid feeding sprouted seed, since in our experience the benefits genuinely outweigh the risk, but using a product like Multi or Avi Cleanse (available at Birdsville) reduces the infection risk. Incubation is around 2 to 5 days, and it also spreads through beak-to-beak contact and contaminated water, food or environment. Humidity above 75% in either hot or cold weather is thought to help create the conditions candida needs to affect the crop lining.

Aspergillus

Another fungus with a 2 to 5 day incubation period, and an environmental contaminant present in a bird’s surroundings rather than something spread bird to bird. Poor ventilation, excess humidity or poor sanitation increase the risk, and it more commonly affects birds with a compromised immune system. Anything that suppresses immunity, viral infection, poor air quality, cigarette smoke, other respiratory irritants, stress, poor husbandry or steroid use, can all raise the risk of a secondary aspergillus infection. Treatment is genuinely difficult and can take weeks to months, usually involving antifungal medication (oral, IV, topical or aerosolised) alongside supportive care such as oxygen therapy and warmth from a vet.

Cryptococcus

A fungal infection found in most animals, including birds, plants and humans, with an unknown incubation period in birds. It rarely infects birds, and when it does, it’s usually through inhaling spores, possibly from pigeon droppings.

Malassezia

This yeast typically affects the skin and mucosal areas in various animals, birds included.

Macrorhabdus (Avian Gastric Yeast)

Also known as megabacteria, these microscopic organisms are around 40 times larger than typical bacteria. It typically causes a weight loss syndrome with bulky, soft, dark faeces as food is poorly digested. Many birds carry it without ever showing symptoms, and there’s a documented case of a bird developing symptoms four years after first carrying it. It’s believed that other disease, poor diet, young-bird stress, cold, or general stress can trigger symptoms to appear. Transmission and incubation aren’t fully confirmed, though the theory is that infected faeces are ingested by an unaffected bird. It tends to appear more in birds with a poor natural ability to resist it, often within particular bloodlines. Reducing stress (see Bird Stressors above) is the best way to lower your bird’s risk. The most common form is a chronic wasting where the bird becomes very thin, generally not considered contagious unless the bird is genetically predisposed. There’s also a form that can appear as an outbreak within a colony, thought to be linked to periods of increased population, such as when several babies leave the nest around the same time and create a more stressful, crowded environment.

Viruses in Birds

What Is Beak and Feather Disease in Parrots?

Also known as PBFD or circovirus, and also called French moult. Affected birds show abnormal feather, beak or nail growth. The virus attacks feather follicles, causing feathers to appear brown or flat at the quill base before falling out, alongside weight loss and loss of powder down. It’s especially recognisable in white birds like sulphur crests and corellas, where feathers look dirty or yellow, and the beak loses its normal chalky look and becomes shiny (a healthy cockatoo should leave visible powder on your hands when touched). It’s very common in Australia and usually a young bird’s disease, since older birds tend to be more resistant. It’s incredibly rare in South American species specifically; in Birdsville’s career working with thousands of parrots, we’ve never personally seen one affected, though it’s not impossible. It’s spread through crop feeding, fresh or dried droppings, and skin and feather particles. There’s no cure, and it’s fatal for some birds, though supportive care through good nutrition, vitamins and a stress-free environment can help. It can show up in bloodwork as early as 2 days after exposure, weeks before physical symptoms appear.

Pacheco’s Disease

A member of the herpesvirus family, spread through contaminated air, feather dust, food or water, and can also be picked up from contaminated surfaces. Signs include depression, excess urine, fluffed feathers, lethargy and loss of appetite, with an incubation period of 3 to 7 days.

Newcastle Disease

Caused by a paramyxovirus, occurring in three forms: velogenic (virulent), mesogenic (moderate) and lentogenic (mild). Incubation is usually 2 to 15 days. It can affect any bird species and is thought to spread via wild birds, direct contact with infected birds, or contaminated food, water, people, equipment, vehicles, shoes or clothing. Effects vary by strain, ranging from mild respiratory issues and loss of appetite to watery eye discharge, ruffled feathers and death. Humans can rarely contract it, usually experiencing mild conjunctivitis for a few days. Any outbreak must be reported to the federal Department of Agriculture, and treatment isn’t permitted in Australia; affected birds are euthanised.

H3: Is Bird Flu Dangerous to Pet Birds in Australia?

Bird flu is caused specifically by Influenza Type A. The strain currently circulating and causing concern worldwide and in Australia is H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b), though other subtypes such as H6, H7, H9 and H10 can also occasionally infect humans, this remains rare. It’s typically spread through bodily fluids such as droppings, and affected birds may show depression, loss of appetite, coughing, sneezing, or sudden death.

Australia lost its bird-flu-free status in 2026, with H5N1 confirmed in several states including NSW. Locally, cases have been found in wild seabirds along the NSW far south coast, including at Merimbula and Narooma, and in the Hunter New England region further north. So far, NSW detections have been in wild birds such as terns and petrels, not in aviary or backyard pet birds.

For a pet bird kept in a properly enclosed aviary or indoors, with no access to wild birds, their droppings, or shared outdoor water sources, the actual risk remains low. The main real-world exposure route is contact with wild birds or contaminated ground and water, which is exactly why a fully enclosed setup, clean food and water, and good hygiene (see Unclean Conditions above) matter more than ever right now. As with Newcastle disease, any confirmed or suspected case in a bird must be reported to the Department of Agriculture, and affected birds are euthanised rather than treated. If you notice several sick or deceased wild birds nearby, report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 rather than handling them.

Polyomavirus (Papovavirus)

Birds up to 56 days old are most at risk, and infection is usually fatal at that age, with older birds believed to develop immunity. Incubation is 10 to 14 days. Some birds carry the virus asymptomatically and can pass it to chicks without showing symptoms themselves. In birds that do show symptoms, these include abnormal feather growth, blood spots on the skin, vomiting, depression, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, weight loss, paralysis, tremors and regurgitation, and the outlook is generally poor once symptoms appear.

Can I Catch a Disease From My Pet Bird? (Chlamydia/Psittacosis)

Incubation is 5 to 15 days. This is a common disease across bird collections in Australia, common enough that we seasonally medicate our own birds as a precaution. It can be picked up from sources like pigeon or rat droppings, or by inhaling dust containing dried saliva, feathers, mucous or droppings from infected birds, which can then reach an indoor pet via human hands, airborne dust, or a fly landing on a contaminated surface before landing on a bird or its water dish. Many birds carry it dormant for long periods without symptoms, and some are naturally immune, while birds with a weaker immune system are more likely to develop visible illness. Stress, particularly around a move to a new environment, makes young birds especially susceptible. This is why we’re fastidious about keeping the shop clean, feeding a genuinely healthy diet, and holding new birds for a period before they go on sale. It’s also zoonotic: in humans it can cause symptoms ranging from none at all to flu-like illness and pneumonia. The standard veterinary treatment is a full course of doxycycline, typically around 45 days.

Bacteria in Birds

Bacteria generally fall into one of two groups, gram-positive or gram-negative, identified under a microscope using a Gram stain, which vets use to help choose the most effective antibiotic. Gram-positive bacteria have a thick cell wall and stain blue or purple, including types like staphylococcus, bacillus and streptococcus. Gram-negative bacteria have thinner cell walls and stain pink or red, including types like campylobacter, salmonella, E. coli and mycoplasma.

Staphylococcus

Found everywhere in a bird’s environment, and more likely to affect birds with weakened immune systems in mixed collections. More common in unventilated, humid, dusty indoor spaces without much fresh air or sunlight. Incubation is usually 2 to 3 days.

Streptococcus

A gram-positive bacterium usually triggered by stressful conditions that impair immunity (see Bird Stressors above). It occurs naturally in many birds’ gut flora, and a stressed bird can develop symptoms quickly, with an incubation period of 2 to 5 days.

Salmonella

Spread through contaminated faeces, food, water, direct contact, or even insects, with contaminated food the most common route. Incubation is 12 to 72 hours. This one is zoonotic and can cause food poisoning-type symptoms in humans.

Mycoplasma

Also known as Chronic Respiratory Disease, caused by a very small bacteria-like organism, with an incubation period typically between 7 and 21 days, though this can vary. It can be spread by humans, insects and other animals, carried on skin, hair or shoes.

E. coli

A bird’s overall immunity affects its individual susceptibility (see Bird Stressors above). This is usually contracted one of two ways: humidity above 75% in either hot or cold weather can reduce a bird’s natural resistance, or through cold, damp conditions and contaminated food or water. Flies and cockroaches can also transmit E. coli to food, water or the bird directly. Incubation is usually 1 to 3 days, and it’s zoonotic, capable of causing gastrointestinal illness in humans too.

Other Conditions Birds Can Get

There’s a wide range of other conditions birds can develop, including cockatiel conjunctivitis, diabetes, tumours, gout, paralysis, macaw acne, egg binding, chronic egg laying, herpesvirus of the feet, dry pox, wet pox, septicaemia pox, papillomatosis, nestling viral disease, a blocked gizzard, and sour crop. We’ll expand on these individually in a future update.

When to See a Vet

One of the most common issues in older birds is plucking. It’s not a disease, more a bad habit, similar to a person biting their nails, but in extreme cases a bird can progress to chewing its own skin, which becomes life-threatening. If your bird is plucking, come in and see us, we have a number of diet and behavioural approaches that can help reverse it.

Knowing your bird and its normal behaviour and body condition can genuinely save its life. At Birdsville, we stock a broad-spectrum antibiotic powder for use in ornamental birds, effective against bacterial infections including E. coli (enteritis), mycoplasma (chronic respiratory disease) and chlamydia (psittacosis), added to the drinking water. It’s designed as an ideal first-line antibiotic where a definite diagnosis isn’t yet available. If your bird doesn’t respond within 3 days, veterinary advice should be sought. We also stock lice and mite treatments, vitamin supplements, probiotics and more.

Possible Signs of Bird Illness or Injury

A fluffed-up appearance, loss of song or a raspy voice, weight loss, unusual sneezing or coughing, discharge from the nasal area, red nostrils, a dirty vent or unclean area around the anus, loss of appetite, dropped or drooping wings, eye discharge, swollen eyelids, swelling or lumps, sitting on the floor, lethargy, changes in droppings such as looser consistency or colour change, and feather loss, bare patches or visible injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the first signs my bird is sick?
Common early signs include a fluffed-up appearance, loss of song, sitting on the floor, reduced appetite, changes in droppings, and laboured breathing. Birds are prey animals and naturally hide illness until it’s advanced, so if you notice any of these signs, it’s worth getting your bird checked promptly rather than waiting.

Can I catch a disease from my pet bird?
Yes, a small number of bird diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can pass to humans. Psittacosis (chlamydia) and, rarely, avian influenza are the main examples. Washing your hands after handling any bird and keeping their environment clean significantly reduces this risk, and it’s a sensible habit regardless of species.

Is bird flu dangerous to pet birds in Australia?
Bird flu (avian influenza) can affect any bird species and is taken very seriously in Australia. Any suspected case must be reported to the Department of Agriculture, and treatment isn’t permitted here. It remains rare in pet birds, but good hygiene and limiting contact with wild birds are the best prevention.

What’s the difference between feather plucking and beak and feather disease?
Feather plucking is a behavioural issue, usually from boredom, stress or diet, and typically leaves the head untouched since the bird can’t reach it. Beak and feather disease is a virus that affects feather and beak growth all over the body, including the head, and has no cure.

When should I take my bird to the vet instead of treating it at home?
Any injury, sudden behaviour change, laboured breathing, or a bird that stops eating needs prompt veterinary attention. Milder issues like early feather plucking or diet-related concerns can often be improved at home first, but if you’re ever unsure, bring your bird in-store and our team can help you assess it.

How can I stop my bird from getting sick in the first place?
A clean environment, a genuinely balanced diet, minimal stress, and regular observation of your bird’s normal behaviour go a long way. Most of the illnesses on this page trace back to poor diet, stress or an unclean environment, so getting those basics right prevents the majority of issues before they start.

Quick Reference Table

Iodine Deficiency (Goitre)
About: Underactive thyroid from low dietary iodine
Symptoms: Swollen thyroid gland
Incubation: Not applicable, nutritional
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Iodine supplementation

Obesity
About: Excess body fat, usually diet-related
Symptoms: Overweight body condition, reduced activity
Incubation: Not applicable, nutritional
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Diet correction, vet check if severe

Fatty Liver Disease
About: Liver damage from poor-quality or all-seed diet
Symptoms: Lethargy, poor condition, can be asymptomatic until advanced
Incubation: Not applicable, nutritional
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Diet correction under vet guidance

Vitamin A Deficiency
About: Low vitamin A weakening immune function
Symptoms: Increased susceptibility to infection and stress
Incubation: Not applicable, nutritional
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Dietary vitamin A sources or supplementation

Calcium Deficiency
About: Low calcium or vitamin D
Symptoms: Brittle or soft bones, soft beak or nails, egg-related issues
Incubation: Not applicable, nutritional
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Calcium and vitamin D supplementation

Vitamin D Deficiency
About: Insufficient unfiltered sunlight or dietary vitamin D
Symptoms: Contributes to calcium deficiency issues
Incubation: Not applicable, nutritional
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Sunlight access or supplementation

Metal Poisoning
About: Zinc or lead ingested from rusty cages or household items
Symptoms: Vomiting, blood in faeces, black or green diarrhoea, convulsions, depression
Incubation: Rapid, faster in birds than humans
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Emergency vet care, chelation therapy

Toxic Foods
About: Ingestion of foods harmful to birds
Symptoms: Varies, can include sudden illness or death
Incubation: Rapid
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Emergency vet care

Toxic Fumes
About: Inhalation of household fumes (Teflon, aerosols, smoke)
Symptoms: Can cause sudden death
Incubation: Rapid, often minutes
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Emergency vet care, remove from source immediately

Fractures, Dislocations and Sprains
About: Physical injury, often from a caught limb
Symptoms: Favouring a limb, visible injury
Incubation: Not applicable
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Vet care, splinting where needed

Night Fright
About: Startled reaction while asleep, can cause injury
Symptoms: Found injured or deceased at cage base
Incubation: Not applicable
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Prevention (night light), vet check if injured

Sudden Death Syndrome
About: Unexplained death in an apparently healthy bird
Symptoms: None prior, sudden death
Incubation: Not applicable
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: None, often inconclusive on post-mortem

Foreign Body Ingestion
About: Swallowed material causing crop impaction
Symptoms: Swollen crop, depression
Incubation: Not applicable
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Emergency vet care, possible surgery

Feather Plucking
About: Behavioural, dietary or routine-related
Symptoms: Bald chest, legs, rump or back with normal head feathers
Incubation: Not applicable
Spread: Not applicable
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Enrichment, diet correction, routine stability

Roundworms, Hairworms and Tapeworms
About: Internal worm infestations
Symptoms: Weight loss, poor condition
Incubation: Varies by species
Spread: Contaminated food, water or droppings
Zoonotic: Low risk, generally species-specific
Treatment: Vet-prescribed dewormer (e.g. Wormout Gel)

Toxoplasmosis
About: Protozoan parasite infection
Symptoms: Varies, can be asymptomatic
Incubation: 5 to 23 days
Spread: Contaminated food, water or environment
Zoonotic: Yes in general, though pet birds aren’t the typical human exposure source
Treatment: Vet-guided antiprotozoal medication

Coccidiosis
About: Intestinal protozoan parasite
Symptoms: Depression, weight loss, diarrhoea, sometimes with blood
Incubation: Around 8 days
Spread: Contact, contaminated surfaces, flies and cockroaches
Zoonotic: No, species-specific
Treatment: Vet-prescribed anticoccidial medication

Trichomoniasis (Canker)
About: Protozoan affecting mouth to crop
Symptoms: Vomiting, weight loss, green or loose droppings
Incubation: 5 to 28 days
Spread: Direct contact, contaminated food or water
Zoonotic: No, bird-specific strain
Treatment: Vet-prescribed metronidazole

Giardia
About: Protozoan affecting the digestive tract
Symptoms: Discoloured, foul-smelling diarrhoea, lethargy
Incubation: 1 to 14 days
Spread: Contaminated drinking water
Zoonotic: No, avian strains are host-specific
Treatment: Vet-guided antiprotozoal medication

Quill Mites and Red Mites
About: External mites feeding on feathers or blood
Symptoms: Irritation, stress, anaemia (red mites)
Incubation: Not applicable
Spread: Direct contact, aviary environment
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Avimec or Mite and Lice Spray

Air Sac Mite
About: Mites living in the airways
Symptoms: Open-mouth breathing, wheezing, loss of song
Incubation: Not applicable
Spread: Direct contact
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Topical ointment available at Birdsville, plus precautionary antibiotics

Scaly Face
About: Burrowing mite affecting face, legs and feet
Symptoms: Crusty skin on face, legs and feet
Incubation: Not applicable
Spread: Direct contact
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Avimec or scaly face ointment

Candida (Candidiasis)
About: Common environmental fungus
Symptoms: Crop lining irritation, poor condition
Incubation: 2 to 5 days
Spread: Contaminated food, water or beak-to-beak contact
Zoonotic: Not typically from birds, opportunistic
Treatment: Vet-prescribed antifungal medication

Aspergillus
About: Environmental fungal infection, not contagious between birds
Symptoms: Respiratory distress
Incubation: 2 to 5 days
Spread: Environmental spores, not bird to bird
Zoonotic: Not typically from birds
Treatment: Prolonged antifungal treatment under vet care

Macrorhabdus (Avian Gastric Yeast)
About: Microscopic organism causing wasting
Symptoms: Weight loss, bulky dark faeces
Incubation: Unconfirmed
Spread: Suspected faecal-oral
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: Vet-guided antifungal medication, difficult to fully clear

Pacheco’s Disease
About: Avian herpesvirus
Symptoms: Depression, fluffed feathers, lethargy
Incubation: 3 to 7 days
Spread: Air, feather dust, contaminated food, water or surfaces
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: No cure, supportive vet care

Newcastle Disease
About: Paramyxovirus affecting any bird species
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, appetite loss, death in severe cases
Incubation: 2 to 15 days
Spread: Wild birds, contact, contaminated surfaces
Zoonotic: Yes, rare, mild conjunctivitis in humans
Treatment: Not permitted in Australia, must be reported, birds euthanised

Avian Influenza
About: Influenza Type A infection
Symptoms: Depression, appetite loss, sudden death
Incubation: Varies by strain
Spread: Bodily fluids, droppings
Zoonotic: Yes, rare, subtypes H5/H6/H7/H9/H10
Treatment: Not permitted in Australia, must be reported, birds euthanised

Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD)
About: Circovirus attacking feather and beak growth
Symptoms: Abnormal feathers, shiny beak, weight loss
Incubation: Detectable in blood from 2 days, symptoms weeks later
Spread: Crop feeding, droppings, feather and skin particles
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: No cure, supportive care only

Polyomavirus
About: Virus most dangerous to birds under 56 days old
Symptoms: Abnormal feathers, vomiting, paralysis, regurgitation
Incubation: 10 to 14 days
Spread: Parent to chick, contaminated environment
Zoonotic: No
Treatment: No specific antiviral, supportive vet care

Chlamydia (Psittacosis)
About: Very common bacteria-like infection
Symptoms: Often dormant, can include depression and respiratory signs
Incubation: 5 to 15 days
Spread: Droppings, dust, human hands, contaminated surfaces
Zoonotic: Yes, flu-like illness to pneumonia in humans
Treatment: Doxycycline, typically a 45-day course

Staphylococcus
About: Common environmental bacteria
Symptoms: Varies, more likely with weakened immunity
Incubation: 2 to 3 days
Spread: Environmental
Zoonotic: Low risk
Treatment: Vet-prescribed antibiotics

Streptococcus
About: Naturally occurring gut bacteria, opportunistic under stress
Symptoms: Varies with stress-related onset
Incubation: 2 to 5 days
Spread: Internal, stress-triggered
Zoonotic: Low risk
Treatment: Vet-prescribed antibiotics

Salmonella
About: Bacterial infection from contaminated faeces
Symptoms: Gastrointestinal illness
Incubation: 12 to 72 hours
Spread: Contaminated food, water, contact, insects
Zoonotic: Yes
Treatment: Vet-prescribed antibiotics

Mycoplasma (Chronic Respiratory Disease)
About: Small bacteria-like organism
Symptoms: Respiratory illness
Incubation: 7 to 21 days
Spread: Humans, insects, other animals, contaminated surfaces
Zoonotic: No, avian-specific strains
Treatment: Vet-prescribed antibiotics

E. coli
About: Bacterial infection, humidity and hygiene related
Symptoms: Gastrointestinal illness
Incubation: 1 to 3 days
Spread: Contaminated food, water, insects
Zoonotic: Yes
Treatment: Vet-prescribed antibiotics