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Lesions on wild Amazona chicks

I am currently studying Amazona barbadensis on island of Bonaire. One of the things we do is regular monitoring of nests throughout the breeding season. A few days ago I came across these lesions (see photographs) on 2 chicks in the same nest. On both chicks they were found on the backs of legs, behind the ears, on the rump and on the sides of the body toward the tail and under the wing (I have no idea what the anatomical term is for this area). On one chick they were also on the side of the head (see photo). Mostly they were concentrated on the area around the legs.

We have seen this on one occasion previously. Do you have any ideas what could have caused them and whether they are cause for worry?

Unfortunately, I am not able to see your attached photos. I would, however, be suspicious of parasitic infestation (bot flies) or something of that nature, as these are described in other nestling neotropical parrot species. In addition, lesions have been described in the crop of vultures associated with bot fly larvae, and some African bird species as well.

*Update - Thanks for getting those photos published for viewing. It sure appears that you are dealing with arthropod bites of some sort. If this is the extent of what you are seeng, with no worsening of the lesions, etc, I would not be too concerned about much more than discomfort to the birds..

About Brian Speer, DVM

Avian veterinarian Dr. Brian Speer was raised in a small town on California’s coast. He received his BS in Biology from California Polytechnic State University in 1978, and his DVM degree from the University of California at Davis in 1983.

An active member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), Dr. Speer is a much sought after guest speaker and has presented at numerous conferences in the avicultural and zoological communities both within the United States and abroad. He is well published in the AAV annual proceedings, has served as guest editor for the journal Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, the Veterinary Clinics of North America, and authored chapters in several recent veterinary medical texts on pet bird, avicultural and ratite medical topics. In 1995 he co-authored the extensive avicultural reference, The Large Macaws, and helped to co-author Birds for Dummies in 1999.

Since 1989, Dr, Speer has run a “bird’s only” practice in the San Francisco Bay area and is the President and Director of The Medical Center for Birds. He is a consultant for The Veterinary Information Network (Avian Medical Boards) and the Maui Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. In 2003 he was the recipient of the Lafeber award for excellence in private practice of avian medicine and surgery and in 2006, was named Speaker of the Year for the North American Veterinary Conference.