African grey plucking feathers on her chest — where do I even start?

I've noticed my grey has started plucking the feathers on her chest — there's a bald patch forming. Nothing else has obviously changed. I'm worried and a bit overwhelmed. Where do I start with feather plucking?

So common with greys, and so treatable when you catch it early. Alongside the vet, think about: humidity (greys are from humid rainforest — dry Toronto winters are rough), bathing frequency, sleep, and whether anything in her routine changed even slightly.

First stop has to be an avian vet to rule out medical causes (skin infection, allergies, giardia, low humidity, diet deficiencies). Plucking is medical until proven behavioural — don't assume it's 'just stress' before a vet check.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this — it's stressful, but you're catching it early which matters a lot. Feather-destructive behaviour in greys is one of the most common (and most fixable) issues when approached methodically:

1. Avian vet first — always rule out medical causes (infection, parasites like giardia, nutritional deficiency, skin disease) before assuming it's behavioural.
2. Humidity & bathing — greys come from humid climates; dry winter air dries skin. Aim to bathe/mist several times a week and consider a humidifier.
3. Diet — deficiencies (esp. vitamin A and calcium) show up in skin/feather health.
4. Routine & enrichment — boredom and changes in sleep or attention can trigger it.

We cover the common grey-specific issues in African Greys — common health issues and bathing approaches in bathing methods for parrots. Please do see an avian vet first though — BST's go-to is Britannia Animal Hospital in Mississauga, and there's a full list on our /vets page.