Body Systems & Diseases

Birds have paired lungs; underneath, there are nine air sacs, and their lungs do not compress like human lungs. Their anatomy is why fragrances are so harmful! Their lungs are far more efficient and absorb and take in oxygen due to the anatomy built for flight, which means the bad stuff gets absorbed much quicker. Things like Teflon, perfume, candles, the cleaning feature on the oven, and air fryers can contain Teflon, smoke, and room sprays can be fatal to your bird. Even if you use these and your bird seems “fine,” they could drop dead at any given moment, and it’s not to scare you, but it’s the truth! Symptoms for this system include labored breathing or open mouth breathing, tail bobbing with each breath, nasal discharge, blocked nostrils, increased or decreased nostril size, sneezing (excessive), wheezing or wet breathing, coughing, cere (the skin around the nostrils) irregularity, staining of the feathers around the nostrils, change in voice or no voice.

Parrots have a crop, gizzard, small intestine, and large intestine that work to get the nutrients they eat into their bloodstream and bodies. The gizzard is the muscular portion of the stomach, while the proventriculus is the glandular portion. The crop will be more prominent when the bird is full and satisfied. These little digestive systems do a lot of work since parrots do not have teeth like humans, so problems in this body system can be quite an issue. Symptoms of digestive and urinary problems include : overly wet droppings (diarrhea), change in the color of the droppings (red, yellow, tarry, pale), staining of the feathers around the vent, decreased droppings, straining to defecate, wet feathers around face and head, vomiting or excessive regurgitation, protrusions from the vent (prolapse)

Parrots have fewer bones than most animals due to the need to fly and be light enough to lift off the ground. Their bones are pneumatized or hollow to keep them lightweight and sturdy. Parrot's heads are light, and their beaks are made of keratin, which helps their entire body remain light! As for the muscles, their chest muscles are powerful and have to be so they can fly for extended periods. Also, their tongues are a massive part of their lives. Parrots use their tongue for eating and manipulating food within the beak, but it's also one of their essential senses and a way to explore their surroundings through textures! Symptoms of an abnormality in this system include sore feet, wings or joints, lameness or shifting of body weight, paralysis, weakness, not perching, sitting on the bottom of the cage

Bird's brains are lissencephalic, meaning it does not fill the skull and can be damaged easily. Birds have 12 sets of cranial nerves that split anatomically and functionally. The neurons within this system will deliver sensory or motor function signals to the brain. If you want to get in-depth, the segments of the avian brain are the pallidum, nidopallium, striatum, thalamus, midbrain, hindbrain, and cerebellum (yeah, it's a lot of fancy words). Fun fact: neurons in the avian brain are much more "packed" than a regular mammal brain! These different parts of the brain work together to create your genius little feathered friend, which is why mental engagement is critical! Symptoms of issues in this body system include balance problems, head tilt, falling, seizures, unconsciousness, paralysis, and weakness.

The skin and feathers on a bird help protect them and help them with flight. Healthy feathers will be bright in color, full and shiny, and if they lack luster, it could be illness or just a simple diet adjustment. Symptoms include abnormal feathers (dull color, texture, shape, structure, growth), bleeding blood or pin feathers (new feathers), prolonged molt, feather changes (color, chewed, plucked, damaged, baldness, or feather loss), skin (flaky or crusty, or sores), excessive scratching, abnormal beak (color, growth, overgrown, texture), abnormal nails (color, growth, overgrown, texture), trauma, cuts, bruises, lumps, bumps, swellings, or bulges on the body.

Parrots rely on head movements to see their surroundings, and having eyes on the side of the head also helps them get a little more range. Their eyes are spherical and tetrachromats, meaning they can see colors up to ultraviolet. Symptoms of abnormality include closed eyes, eye discharge, red eyes, cloudy eyes, and swelling (around or of the eyes). Regarding general sickness, symptoms can include any change in attitude, behavior, or personality, unusually tame behavior, irritability, agitation, or biting.