Stress Bars

Thank you model Boo for allowing me to mess with you to get this feather more visible for this photo.

You’ll see a feather with a black looking bar across it. These are called “stress bars” simply enough. Not all parrots stress bars are “black” but with cockatoos usually are.

Stress bars come because of stress (who would have thought). It’s usually under a high amount of stress and will take some time to accumulate. It is a welfare indicator to us caretakers as to how our parrots are doing in our care.

Boo, rescued moluccan cockatoo, sadly has quite a bit of stress bars throughout her body. They were developed in her previous placement. It is something that was seen the first night I got her, and I haven’t seen any new ones come forward, even with the switch to aviary life!

Stress bars are created while the feather is being grown. It happens internally. Although mostly caused by stress, sometimes not getting enough nutrients can also cause these bars.

To my knowledge, there is no way for a stress bar to resolve itself unless the feather is molted out, and a new one is grown back in. So, the only way to get rid of stress bars is to wait for the molt and change the conditions your bird is in.

The first thing you should do when you see a stress bar is consult your trusted avian vet. They will be able to run diagnostic tests to determine if the bars are from anything diet or illness related. Then, if it’s stress indicated, contacting an avian behaviorist will be able to determine what is stressful in the birds environment and how to help you help your bird be more successful! Feel free to contact us to work through decreasing your parrot’s stress.