Blood Feathers
Posted: November 4, 2009 at 8:40 am | Tags: anatomy lessons, behavior consultant, bird nutrition, blood feather, blood feathers, blood supply, blood vessels, cockatiel, cockatoos, corn starch, crest, e email, first aid kit, forceps, mutations, needle nose pliers, professional groomer, quill, soft tissue, trimsby Marilu Anderson, Bird Nutrition and Behavior Consultant
Phone: (503) 771-BIRD
I recently got an e-email asking me to do an article on blood feathers, as a lot of birds are molting now and this person already had to pull one on their grey. Then I got a call asking if a client could clip the one new feather that came in on each wing of her cockatiel, allowing him some flight. She wasn’t familiar with blood feathers and could easily have cut into one had we not talked. So it seems prudent and timely to get into some basic anatomy lessons!
First, what is a blood feather? Quite simply, it’s a growing, new feather with a live blood supply. Because of the blood still nourishing the feather, the shaft of the quill will look dark – maroon or almost blackish, instead of the usual white or clear look of a fully emerged feather. Once the feather has grown in completely, the blood vessels shrink and dry up as they’re no longer needed by the fully formed feather. Normally, blood feathers are seen on the wings and tail, also on the crest of birds like cockatoos.
Blood feathers are completely normal – problems arise when they are either cut or broken. That’s one of the reasons I suggest using a professional groomer to do wing (and nail) trims. Cutting a blood feather on a wing will cause profuse bleeding, which can be impossible to stop, requiring pulling the feather so the bird doesn’t bleed to death! That’s what the forceps or hemostats listed the first aid kit in my recent First Aid article were for! In a pinch, you can also use needle nose pliers.
NEVER use styptic powder to try and stop bleeding on soft tissue – if the cut is a small, mild one you can sometimes coagulate it sufficiently with corn starch, however.
Some birds are just prone to breaking blood feathers, especially lutino mutations of many species, particularly cockatiels and ringnecks. Birds who are nervous and thrash around a lot are also apt to break blood feathers. It’s another reason to ensure a large cage is provided for your bird – one too small or overcrowded makes it easier for a bird to break a feather. Knowing your bird’s habits and peculiarities can help prevent problems. Remember to visually inspect all birds daily – even a quick once over morning and night can help you catch a problem early. Feather pluckers also often chew into blood feathers, though in my experience, they usually coagulate and stop bleeding on their own. It can still be unsettling, though, to find blood drops on the cage papers in the morning!
Regarding wing clipping – to protect incoming blood feathers, leave the feather on each side of a blood feather on the long side to support it. Also, never clip up into the wing coverts or blood feathers are left unprotected and much more apt to break.
To pull a blood feather, locate the break, then grasp the feather with hemostats just above the break and pull firmly and quickly in the direction of growth. Obviously, the bird needs to be restrained, preferably in a towel. Removing the feather should stop the bleeding. If not, a portion of the shaft may be remaining. If that happens and it is broken below skin level, you will probably need to get to a vet. Apply pressure and corn starch as a lot of blood can be lost before getting to the vet’s office.
Pulling a blood feather is very painful for a bird, so it’s not something you want to do unless absolutely necessary. It’s also something you need to approach with confidence. If you’re uncertain, contact a professional. Leaving a profusely bleeding feather alone, hoping it will just stop on it’s own can kill your bird!
So, watch your bird carefully when new feathers are coming in. Provide a nightlight for cockatiels and others prone to “night frights.” Use a professional groomer that you trust. Don’t overcrowd the cage. Have your first aid kit and the vet’s phone number handy, just in case!
P.S. Broken blood feathers are the ONLY feathers that should ever be pulled. Pulling feathers to force new growth or for cosmetic purposes is something I seriously disagree with – question anyone who suggests doing so!
