The Avian Physical Exam
A thorough physical exam is one of the most important parts of an avian health check-up. It starts with a hands-off visual evaluation of the bird and its environment. Then it moves on to getting the bird's weight and a hands-on exam from the top of the head to the tip of the talons.

Here is a run down on many of the things that are evaluated:

Cage

• Size appropriate for wing span and tail feathers
• What material is it made of?
• Are the toys appropriate?

• Feces: amount, color, consistency, Should be brown-green
• Urates: white to light tan and chalky
• Urine: liquid and clear
• Blood is black

Attitude

• BAR(bright, alert, responsive): vocal, interacting with owner
• QAR(quiet, alert, responsive): not vocal, alert and standing around
• Depressed: feathers ruffled, standing on bottom of cage, eyes 1/2 closed

Posture

• Stance
• Wing placement
• Respiratory effort
• Tail position or movement
• Location of bird in the cage

Weigh bird

Have bird "Step up"

• Evaluate perching ability, is each foot gripping with equal strength

Towel Bird

Eyes

• Clear, symmetrical, centered in socket
• Normal conjunctiva: pale pink and moist
• Look for swelling or asymmetry between commissure of eye and beak

Nares and Cere

• Change in color
• Discharge
• Symmetrical
• Patent
• Hyperplasia

Beak

• Growth of upper beak and lower beak
• Proper occlusion
• Evidence of necrosis
• Grooves
• Prognathism

Mouth

• Evaluate jaw tone
• Look at tongue and mucous membranes searching for abrasions, moisture and color
• Evaluate Choana and surrounding sharp papillae

Skin and Feathers on Head

• Feathers should be smooth and symmetrical
• Is the mate preening?
• Are the feathers wet and sticky? Is there vomitus on the head?
• Are there any missing, broken or misshapen feathers?
• Evaluate skin for swellings, proliferations, abrasions

Ears

• Presence of discharge or blood or erythema

Crop

• Food should be present
• May wet down feathers to look at vascularization or thickness
• Feel for swellings or thickening or presence of foreign bodies

Feathers and skin of neck

• Evaluate for thickening, lumps, ulcerations, scabs, ulcerations, discoloration, masses, emphysema
• Over preening or plucking of feathers

Pectoral Musculature, Sternum

• Sternum should be straight and slightly elevated in comparison with the pectoral muscles
• Palpate for evaluation of weight, atrophy of musculature

Skin and feathers of ventral body

• Note color and texture and feel for masses
• Look for scabs, ulcerations, etc.
• Normal feathers are smooth, symmetrical and clean
• Evaluate for overpreening or plucking

Abdomen

• Palpate: Normal is slightly concave
• Evaluate color of skin and look for scabs or ulcerations
• Evaluate Feathers
• Palpate lateral flank areas as fat may be stored there

Cloaca and Vent

• Mucosa of Cloaca should be moist and pink
• No feces should be present on feathers around the vent
• Evaluate for erosions, hypertrophy, erythema, feather picking, etc.

Wings

• Evaluate symmetry, range of motion, bony abnormalities, joints
• Look at skin (don't forget to look for a tattoo)
• Look at Feathers: color, shape uniformity, presence of parasites, stress bars, bleeding, broken or missing

Feet and Legs

• Uniform color and texture of skin, scales present
• Feathers should be smooth and uniform
• Look for abrasions, calluses, erosions, ulcerations, proiiferative lesions, broken toe nails, missing toes, swollen joints, weak grip
• If there is a leg band present on a pet bird, remove it if possible!!!! Necrosis, swelling and trauma may be a sequella... SAVE for owner

Back: Skin, Feathers and Vertebrae

• Feathers and skin should be smooth and uniformly shaped and colored
• Evaluate for overpreening, plucking, ulcerations, scabs, etc.
• Trace backbone for scoliosis and concentrate on prominence as an evaluation of weight
• If feathers are stuck together, this may be due to nasal discharge from sleeping position

Tail and Uropygial gland

• Normal tail feathers are clean, unbroken, unfrayed, and free from stress lines
• Evaluate uropygial gland for swelling, erythema, ulceration and rupture

Auscultation

• Cranial thorax for cardiac and respiratory sounds
• Caudal thorax and back for wheezes, crackles, pops, whistles, and gurgles

Stacie Lipinski, Senior Veterinary Student, Auburn University Externship, Exotic Bird Hospital, Jacksonville, Fl, 2/17/2002