Why Is My Parrot Throwing Up? Regurgitation vs Vomiting
By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD ·
If your parrot threw up, the first step is figuring out whether it was true vomiting or regurgitation. Regurgitation is often a normal, affectionate behavior, while vomiting is usually a sign of illness. The two look similar, but they come from different parts of the digestive tract and mean very different things. This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.
Quick Answer
- Regurgitation is a controlled, head-bobbing motion where food comes up from the crop and is often offered to you, a toy, or a mate. It is usually normal.
- Vomiting is an uncontrolled, forceful expulsion of food from the stomach. The bird often shakes its head, flicks food, and looks sick afterward.
- A single episode in a bright, eating, active bird is often not an emergency, but repeated vomiting is.
- True vomiting in birds can be caused by infections, crop problems, toxins, and other serious conditions.
- Call an avian veterinarian the same day if vomiting repeats, or immediately if your bird is fluffed, weak, or not eating.
Is My Parrot Throwing Up or Just Regurgitating?
Owners often use the words interchangeably, but regurgitation and vomiting are not the same event. Knowing which one you saw helps your veterinarian a great deal.
What Regurgitation Looks Like
Regurgitation is a deliberate action. Your bird may pump its neck, bob its head, and bring up a small amount of food or a milky substance. It often then offers this to you, a favorite toy, a mirror, or another bird. The bird usually looks calm and healthy before and after.
This is common in parrots, especially during breeding season or with a bonded human. It is a social and reproductive behavior, not a sign of stomach upset. A bird that regurgitates and then eats, plays, and vocalizes normally is usually fine.
What Vomiting Looks Like
Vomiting is not controlled. Food comes up from the stomach with force. You may see the bird shake its head side to side, and food may fly or stick to the beak and face. The bird often looks uncomfortable, fluffed, or tired afterward.
Vomiting can happen at any time, not just when your bird is excited or interacting with you. It may be accompanied by other signs of illness. If you see true vomiting, take it seriously.
Normal Versus Abnormal
Some regurgitation is normal. Vomiting is never normal. If you are unsure which you saw, watch your bird closely for the next few hours. Note whether it eats, how its droppings look, and whether it seems active. Any change in behavior along with the episode points toward vomiting and illness.
Why Is My Parrot Throwing Up? Main Causes
The causes of true vomiting in birds range from mild to life threatening. The table below lists the most common ones and how urgent each tends to be.
| Cause | Typical clues | How urgent |
|---|---|---|
| Avian gastric yeast (Macrorhabdosis) | Ongoing weight loss, regurgitation, weakness, diarrhea, undigested seeds in droppings [1] | Urgent, needs testing |
| Candidiasis (yeast infection) | Crop swelling, slow crop emptying, vomiting, often in young or ill birds [1] | Urgent |
| Trichomoniasis | Vomiting and retching, especially in budgerigars [2] | Urgent |
| Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) | Weight loss, lethargy, undigested seeds in droppings, regurgitation, neurological signs [3] | Urgent and often progressive |
| Pacheco's disease (inclusion body hepatitis) | Weakness, anorexia, vomiting, loose feces, ruffled feathers [4] | Emergency |
| Toxins, spoiled food, or foreign objects | Sudden vomiting, often with no prior illness | Emergency |
| Crop stasis or impaction | Swollen crop, foul breath, no droppings | Emergency |
Infectious Causes
Several infections can cause vomiting in parrots. Avian gastric yeast, also called macrorhabdosis, is a common culprit. Birds with this infection often show ongoing weight loss, regurgitation, weakness, and diarrhea, and their droppings may contain undigested seeds or pellets [1]. Diagnosis requires examining fresh droppings under a microscope, and repeated testing may be needed because the yeast can be shed only at certain times [1].
Candidiasis is another yeast problem. It most often affects the crop, the special pouch in the neck that is unique to birds, but it can also involve the stomach, intestines, skin, and respiratory system [1]. Very young or very ill birds can develop widespread disease [1].
Trichomoniasis is a major cause of vomiting in budgerigars. Vomiting and retching are common signs, and the usual cause is infection of the esophagus or crop [2].
Viral diseases also matter. Avian bornaviruses cause proventricular dilatation disease, a fatal neurological disease that threatens psittacine birds [3]. In one survey of pet psittacines with signs compatible with PDD, 28.6 percent tested positive for bornaviruses, and regurgitation was seen in some of those birds [3]. Pacheco's disease, a form of inclusion body hepatitis, can cause weakness, anorexia, vomiting, and loose feces, and it can spread through an aviary [4].
Non-Infectious Causes
Not all vomiting comes from infection. Proventricular dilatation can occur with a thin-walled, impacted proventriculus and signs including anorexia, lethargy, weight loss, and intermittent vomiting [5]. Toxins such as lead or spoiled food, and swallowed foreign objects, can also trigger vomiting. Crop stasis, where the crop does not empty, is another cause and often shows as a swollen, doughy crop.
Red Flags That Mean Emergency Care
Some signs mean you should not wait. Contact an avian veterinarian immediately if you see any of the following.
- Repeated vomiting in a single day
- A fluffed, hunched, or weak bird
- Not eating or drinking for more than a few hours
- A swollen or doughy crop
- Foul-smelling breath
- No droppings or very few droppings
- Blood in the vomit or droppings
- Weight loss you can feel at the keel (breastbone)
- Neurological signs such as head tilt, tremors, or unsteady balance [3]
- Sudden collapse or difficulty breathing
Birds hide illness well. By the time a parrot looks visibly sick, it may have been unwell for days. When in doubt, call your veterinarian.
What You Can Do at Home While You Wait
You cannot diagnose or treat vomiting at home, but you can keep your bird safe and comfortable until you reach the vet.
- Remove any food that may be spoiled or contaminated.
- Keep your bird warm and quiet, away from drafts and other pets.
- Do not offer new foods, treats, or supplements.
- Do not give any medication unless your veterinarian prescribes it. Doses are calculated by your vet based on your bird's weight and health.
- Note the time, what came up, and how often it happens.
- Save a fresh dropping on wax paper or plastic wrap for the vet to examine.
- If you suspect a toxin, call your veterinarian or a pet poison control hotline right away.
If your bird is regurgitating as a normal behavior, no home treatment is needed. Simply redirect the behavior if it becomes excessive or if it is directed at a mirror or toy.
What Your Veterinarian Will Check and Test
Your avian veterinarian will start with a full history and physical exam. They will check your bird's weight, body condition, hydration, and crop. They will also look at the droppings and listen to your bird's breathing.
Testing often includes a fecal exam to look for yeast, parasites, and bacteria. For avian gastric yeast, fresh droppings are examined under a microscope, and repeated exams may be needed because the organism can be shed intermittently [1]. Your vet may also recommend blood work, imaging such as radiographs or ultrasound, and specific tests for viral diseases like bornavirus [3].
If your bird has crop stasis or a suspected obstruction, your vet may flush or empty the crop and take samples. Treatment depends on the cause. Bacterial infections need antibiotics, yeast infections need antifungal medication, and viral diseases need supportive care. Your veterinarian will calculate any medication dose based on your bird's weight and condition.
Preventing and Monitoring Vomiting in Parrots
Good husbandry goes a long way. Feed a balanced diet, keep food and water dishes clean, and remove fresh foods before they spoil. Quarantine any new bird before introducing it to your flock, since diseases like macrorhabdosis and Pacheco's disease can spread between birds in close contact [1][4].
Weigh your bird regularly on a gram scale. A drop in weight is often the first sign of illness. Watch for changes in droppings, appetite, and activity. If your bird has a known condition, follow your veterinarian's monitoring plan and keep follow-up appointments.
For a deeper look at how veterinarians sort out these signs, see Vomiting, Regurgitation, and Dysphagia: Clinical Differentiation and Diagnostic Planning. If you also keep reptiles, the principles of refeeding after regurgitation are covered in Ball Python Care: Regurgitation causes and refeeding protocol. And for a comparison across species, see Why Is My Cat vomiting foamy liquid? Hairballs vs Gastritis vs IBD.
Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian
This article cannot tell you what is wrong with your individual bird. Only a veterinarian who examines your parrot can do that. Use the timing below as a guide.
Emergency now: repeated vomiting, weakness, collapse, difficulty breathing, a swollen crop, blood in vomit or droppings, or suspected toxin exposure.
Same day: one episode of true vomiting, vomiting with loose droppings, a bird that is fluffed or quieter than usual, or any vomiting in a bird that is already under treatment for another condition.
Routine visit: occasional regurgitation in a bright, eating, active bird, or a change in behavior you want checked.
When in doubt, call. Avian veterinarians would rather see a bird early than treat a bird that has been sick for days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do parrots throw up on purpose?
Parrots do regurgitate on purpose as a social or reproductive behavior. This is different from vomiting, which is involuntary and usually a sign of illness. If your bird brings up food calmly and offers it to you, that is likely regurgitation.
Why is my cockatiel throwing up?
Cockatiels can vomit for many of the same reasons as other parrots, including infections, crop problems, and toxins. Trichomoniasis is a well-known cause of vomiting in budgerigars, and similar infections can affect other small parrots [2]. Any repeated vomiting in a cockatiel needs a veterinary exam.
Why is my bird throwing up seeds?
Undigested seeds in the droppings or vomit can point to a problem with the proventriculus or to avian gastric yeast. Birds with macrorhabdosis may have undigested seeds or pellets in their droppings along with weight loss and regurgitation [1]. Proventricular dilatation disease can also cause undigested seeds in the feces [3].
Can stress make my parrot throw up?
Stress can trigger regurgitation in some birds, especially during changes in routine or bonding. True vomiting from stress alone is less common. If vomiting happens with other signs like lethargy or weight loss, assume it is medical and call your vet.
How long can a parrot go without eating?
A sick bird can decline quickly, and even a short time without eating is a concern. If your parrot has not eaten for more than a few hours, or is vomiting and not eating, contact an avian veterinarian right away. Do not wait to see if it improves on its own.
Related Articles
- Vomiting, Regurgitation, and Dysphagia: Clinical Differentiation and Diagnostic Planning
- Why Is My Budgie Throwing Up Seeds? Regurgitation Explained
- Why Is My Parrot Regurgitating? Normal or a Warning Sign
- My Parrot Is Vomiting or Sick: What to Do Right Now
References
- Digestive Disorders of Pet Birds - Bird Owners. Merck Veterinary Manual.
- Trichomoniasis, a major cause of vomiting in budgerigars. The Veterinary record, 1986.
- Survey of bornaviruses in pet psittacines in Brazil reveals a novel parrot bornavirus. Veterinary microbiology, 2014.
- Psittacine inclusion body hepatitis in an aviary. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1985.
- Proventricular dilatation syndrome in large psittacine birds. Avian diseases, 1984.