Treat a sudden, lasting change in your bird's droppings as urgent — and as an emergency if you see blood, black tarry droppings, or the bird is also fluffed and weak. A bird's droppings are one of the best windows into its health. Because birds hide illness, a change in the droppings is often the earliest sign of a problem. Note what's changed, keep a sample, and see an avian vet promptly.
## What a normal dropping looks like A bird dropping has three parts: a green or brown solid (faeces), a white or cream part (urates), and clear liquid (urine). The exact look varies with diet — birds on lots of fruit or veg pass wetter droppings normally.
## Changes that need attention - Blood in or around the droppings (bright red), or black, tarry droppings (digested blood). - All-liquid droppings with no formed part, lasting more than a short time (true diarrhoea). - Green or yellow staining of the urates, which can indicate liver disease. - A sharp drop in the number of droppings (often means the bird is eating less). - Undigested seed in the droppings.
## What to do Look before you clean the cage: photograph or keep a fresh sample, note the colour and consistency, and count roughly how many the bird is passing. See an avian vet promptly for lasting changes, and treat blood, tarry droppings, or a fluffed, weak bird as an emergency.
Get to a vet immediately if you see any of these
- Blood in the droppings, or black tarry droppings
- Abnormal droppings with a fluffed, weak, or not-eating bird
- Persistent all-liquid droppings (true diarrhoea)
- Green or yellow staining of the white urates (possible liver disease)
- A marked drop in the number of droppings
Common questions
My bird's droppings are wetter after it ate fruit — is that diarrhoea?
Not necessarily. Birds eating lots of fruit or veg normally pass wetter droppings with more urine. True diarrhoea is a lasting change to all-liquid droppings with no formed part, often with other signs of illness.
What does the white part of the dropping tell me?
The white/cream part is urates (the bird's version of urine solids). Green or yellow staining of the urates can indicate liver disease, so a lasting colour change there warrants a vet visit.
Why keep a sample?
The appearance of the droppings, and a fresh sample for testing, help the vet a great deal. Take a photo before you clean the cage so you can show the change.
Sources
This page is general guidance, not veterinary advice, and cannot diagnose your pet. It does not replace an examination by a licensed veterinarian. When in doubt, treat it as an emergency and contact a vet or your nearest 24/7 emergency clinic right away.
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