Introduction
Sanctuaries are safe places, where resident animals can live a protected and happy life, grow old and eventually pass away in dignity. This also means that with good care more and more animals may reach an advanced age, which they rarely would in the wild. The logical consequence is that carers in sanctuaries should be able to recognise and respond to a variety of natural and pathological effects of aging. It goes therefore without saying that sanctuaries should be prepared and able to cater for the support needs of our aging friends. This blogpost tries to provide a practical guide for the care of aging birds.
Common Health Problems
Aging represents the process of accumulation of changes in a sentient being over time, which can encompass physical, psychological and social changes. This applies to most human and non-human animals. Some of the common diseases and conditions found in older humans also occur in older birds, although they may present differently due to the unique physiology and lifespan of birds. Listed below are the most common health problems, which are likely to be encountered.
Cardiovascular Disease
In particular long-lived species, such as corvids, can develop atherosclerosis, where fat deposits build up in arteries, similar to humans. This is common in birds who are fed a high-fat diet, including those species being fed a lot of seeds. Atherosclerosis increases the risk to subsequently develop heart disease and strokes. Cerebrovascular events such as ischaemic strokes or intracranial bleeds are not an uncommon cause of death in older corvids.
Diabetes mellitus
Birds can develop diabetes (often type 2 diabetes), if they consume diets high in sugars or carbohydrates. However, diabetes seems rarer in birds than in humans, and is more often associated with obesity and other metabolic issues.
Respiratory Diseases
Birds are highly susceptible to respiratory infections, including aspergillosis, which is a fungal infection that affects their lungs and air sacs. Respiratory diseases in birds are often caused by poor ventilation, high humidity and stress, rather than aging itself.
Osteoporosis and Bone Disorders
Birds, especially those that do not get enough exercise or a proper diet, can develop osteoporosis and brittle bones. In particular female birds are prone to develop osteoporosis due to chronic calcium depletion from laying eggs. This is comparable to osteoporosis in humans, and can be mitigated by providing an adequate diet and sufficient exercise.
Neurological Conditions
While birds do not typically develop dementia as humans can do, they can suffer from neurological symptoms caused by nutritional deficiencies, trauma or exposure to toxins. Heavy metal poisoning from ingesting lead or zinc can cause tremors and coordination issues. For example, aviary wire is galvanised with zinc oxide to protect it from the elements. Often the brighter and more shiny the wire the higher the zinc content. There are also a number of household products and items that contain zinc and lead as a component.
Cancer
Birds can develop various types of cancers and tumours, particularly older birds. Some common types of cancer include liver tumours, ovarian tumours in female birds and fibrosarcomas. Cancer in birds is generally harder to diagnose until it is in an advanced stage.
Mental Health and Behavioural Disorders
Birds can exhibit signs of depression, anxiety and stress, often due to isolation, changes in their environment or lack of mental stimulation. Some birds may develop behaviours like feather plucking or self-mutilation when stressed or lonely.
Sensory Impairments
While age-related hearing loss and vision loss are less documented in birds, some older birds do appear to experience diminished senses. Cataracts, for example, have been regularly observed by us in older corvids such as rooks and jackdaws.
How To Care For Visually Impaired Birds
Kidney Disease
Birds are prone to kidney disease, especially if they are on high-protein diets or become chronically dehydrated. Like in humans, kidney disease in birds is challenging to treat and is often related to dietary or environmental factors.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Birds can suffer from digestive issues, but these often result from infections, parasites or a poor diet rather than age. Some conditions, like pro-ventricular dilatation disease, can cause chronic digestive issues, but this is typically virus rather than age-related.
Immune System Disorders
Aging birds may develop a weakened immune system, making them more susceptible to infections like avian influenza or bacterial infections. In captivity, older birds often require more careful hygiene and may be more vulnerable to diseases spread by other birds or contaminated food.
Reproductive Issues
Older female birds may experience egg-binding or other reproductive complications, especially if they are overbred or fed inadequate diets. In birds, reproductive issues can pose significant health risks, as birds may continue to lay eggs into older age if not carefully managed.
How to Care for Aging Birds
Optimised Diet
Supporting older birds involves making adjustments to their environment, diet and care routines to accommodate their aging bodies and to keep them healthy and comfortable. The most important measure is to optimise nutrition to cater for all age groups, including older birds.
Older birds benefit from a balanced high quality diet that includes fresh vegetables, fruits and appropriate bird pellets rather than high-fat diets. Senior-specific bird food formulations are sometimes available, but in most cases the food needs to be made from scratch and has to be tailored to the individual requirements.
In particularly older female birds may need calcium supplements to prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin D is also crucial for calcium absorption. In any case exposure to natural sunlight needs to be ensured, or alternatively full spectrum UV A and B lighting has to be provided.
Aging birds may not drink as much water as they should, so fluid intake needs to be closely monitored. Fresh water needs to be provided at least once daily. Hydrating foods like leafy greens and moist fruits can also be provided to increase the water intake.
Finding The Optimal Diet For Corvids
Another Post About The Diet Of Corvids
Regular Health Assessment and Veterinary Care
Birds tend to hide symptoms of illnesses, so frequent health assessments are essential to catch any early signs of disease. This may require in some cases routine blood tests, which can help to detect issues like kidney disease, liver function problems or nutritional deficiencies.
Grooming
Older birds may have trouble grooming themselves, so regular check-ups for nail trims and beak maintenance are crucial. Weighing birds regularly will help to catch weight loss, a common sign of an underlying health problems. Reduced appetite, lethargy or changes in droppings can also indicate health issues. Regular faecal float tests are unobtrusive, inexpensive and easy to perform, and will detect the most common internal parasites.
Internal and External Parasites
Older birds may lose feathers or experience dull or ragged feathers due to reduced grooming. One has to watch for excessive feather loss or picking. These symptoms indicate stress or illness, which includes external parasites such as mites or flat flies. Regular prophylactic treatment against mites, intestinal and lung worms as well as coccidiosis are essential for the wellbeing of residential birds of all ages, in particular when these birds are kept in outdoor aviaries.
Challenges for the Immune System
Another important preventative measure is to avoid the introduction of new birds into existing aviary setups without proper quarantine. The main reason is that the immune system of older birds is weaker and easier to compromise. Proper quarantine measures will reduce the risk of infections.
Wear and Tear
Birds with arthritis or chronic pain will benefit from medications prescribed by a veterinary surgeon. Some older birds may also benefit from joint supplements. Senior birds may need more rest, so one has to ensure that these birds have a quiet and undisturbed time for napping. The aviary setup should therefore be adapted accordingly.
Caring For Temporarily And Permanently Disabled Birds
Weather Conditions
Older birds are more sensitive to cold and drafts. This means that outdoor aviaries need to be adapted to provide adequate shelter. It may also be necessary to take some vulnerable birds into indoor shelters or aviaries. This may need to be done permanently at some point, or at least temporarily during bad weather periods or winter time. Indoors lighting, temperature and humidity can be regulated and set accordingly. As older birds are prone to respiratory issues, keeping the humidity at around 50-60% can help to prevent dryness in their airways. Maintaining a warm and stable temperature at around 21 degrees will keep these birds comfortable.
Further Adaptations
Older birds benefit from light activity to maintain muscle tone and joint health. Gentle games, short flights or walks on safe flat surfaces can help. This often means that the aviary layout needs to be adjusted to the support needs of older birds. Perches and food bowls should be placed in easy-to-reach locations to minimise the need for climbing and reduce the risk of falls.
The use of perches of different diameters and materials, such as soft rope or padded perches, will help to reduce pressure on aging feet and joints. If a bird has mobility issues, one needs to consider a lower perch setup with adequate ramps or ladders. It is also crucial to secure the cage or aviary bottom. Padding or soft material should be placed at the bottom of the aviary to protect against injury from falls, which are more common in older birds.
First Aid For Birds – How To Treat A Bumblefoot Infection
Mental Stimulation and Social Interaction
We recommend to provide toys that encourage gentle play, such as foraging toys or soft chewable toys that are not too physically demanding. We always keep a routine that includes regular social interaction, gentle play and affection. Aging birds often become more reliant on human companionship, so they may benefit from extra attention. It might also be necessary to adapt toys and enrichment. One could offer age appropriate toys that are easier to manipulate, as older birds may have decreased strength and agility. Overexertion should be avoided. Simple, easy-to-use toys or puzzles that encourage curiosity without physical strain are best.
Corvid Aviary Design And Enrichment
Handling Training
Handling training is generally useful for captive birds. This procedure ensures physical health, emotional well-being and safety, whilst it also strengthens the bird-caretaker bond. Handling training facilitates care routines such as grooming and maintenance, reduces stress and helps birds adapt to new environments or emergencies. It also provides mental stimulation and enrichment. Additionally, it builds trust and reduces aggression, the latter occasionally being a problem with territorial corvid species.
However, handling training is not always easy or even possible to achieve. Our sanctuary grew naturally out of a very busy wildlife rescue specialised in the rescue and rehabilitation of corvids. Many of our retired resident birds have been admitted to us as wild mature unreleasable birds. Over the years, these birds have helped us as foster parents and teachers to raise and successfully release countless young birds. With their help we successfully avoided and even reversed imprinting. These wild foster birds taught young birds communication as well as social and survival skills. During their time as foster parent and teachers, handling training would have been counterproductive. Now that these birds have retired, we obviously do train them. Handling training is being made integral part of our daily routine.
Management of Interspecies Interactions in Captivity
Conclusion
While birds share some parallels with aging humans, such as susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, respiratory issues and certain types of cancer, they have unique vulnerabilities based on their physiology. In captivity, proper diet, mental stimulation, exercise and environmental care are crucial for preventing many conditions and diseases, as birds are very sensitive to environmental and nutritional factors. Older birds thrive with special attention to diet, regular veterinary care, gentle exercise, environmental comfort and mental stimulation. Adjustments to their living spaces and routines can greatly enhance their quality of life. The key is to constantly monitor for changes in behaviour or health, and to react in time accordingly.