Using Weight to Diagnose Bird Illness

Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

Weighing your bird weekly is the best way to detect illness early. Birds are great at hiding illness and rapid weight change is a positive indicator that your bird needs further attention.

A Better Bird Scale for All Size Birds

AVERAGE WEIGHTS OF COMMON PET BIRDS

IMPORTANT NOTE about bird weights In most cases the weights are those of captive birds. There can be extreme variation in individuals, the weight being influenced by diet, housing, sex, sub-species, and age. Where more than 10 or so birds were weighed, the highest and lowest weights were not taken into account if these differed markedly from the norm. Chick weights, with 5 or 6 exceptions, were of chicks hatched in the author’s care.

TYPE	SPECIES	Average Weight (grams)	Average Chick Weight (grams)
AMAZONS
	Blue-fronted	275-510 (xanthopterys goes 400-500)
	Cuban	240	10
	Double Yellow-headed	450-650	15
	Green-cheeked	270
	Lilac-crowned	325	11
	Mealy	540-700
	Orange-winged	360-490
	Spectacled (White Front)	205-235
	Tres Marias	500
	Tucuman	320
	Red-lored	350
	Yellow-billed	260
	Yellow-fronted	380-480	12
	Yellow-naped	480-680
	Yellow-shouldered	270	10
	Vinaceous	370
CAIQUES
	Black-headed	145-170	8
	White-bellied	165	7
COCKATOOS
	Galah	345
	GangGang	280
	Goffin’s	221-386	10
	Greater Sulphur-crested	880
	Lesser Sulphur-crested	350
	Moluccan	640-1025	20
	Palm	900 (Adults range from 600-1000)	18
	Rose-breasted	281-390
	Umbrella	458-750	18
CONURE
	Blue-crowned	84-100
	Dusky	90
	Greater Patagonian	315-390	12
	Green-cheeked	60-80	5
	Jenday	120
	Lesser Patagonian	240-310	10
	Mitred	200	11
	Nanday	140
	Orange-fronted	73
	Painted	55
	Queen of Bavaria’s	270
	Red-masked	200
	Sun	100-130
	Whiteeyed	140
LORY
	Blue-streaked	160
	Chattering	200
	Dusky	155	7
	Rainbow	130	5
	Red	170
LOVEBIRD
	Fisher’s	50
	Masked	50 (most females weigh more than males)
	Peach-faced	55
MACAW
	Blue and Gold	800-1292	20
	Green-winged	900-1529	21
	Catalina	900-1500
	Hahn’s	165
	Hyacinth	1200-1450	25
	Illiger’s	265	11
	Lear’s	940
	Military	900	18-20
	Noble	190
	Red-fronted	525
	Scarlet	900-1100	21
	Severe	360
	Spix’s	360
	Yellow-collared	250	12
MISC
	African Ringneck	105
	Canary	12-29
	Cockatiel	90	4-5
	Eclectus	375-550	16
	Indian Ringneck	115
	Kea	1000
	Pacific Parrotlet	31-34
	Red-fronted Kakariki	100
	St. Vincent	580-700
	Zebra Finch	10-16
PARAKEET
	Alexandrine	250
	Barraband’s	140	5
	Bourke’s	50
	Budgerigar	25-60
	Canary-winged	70
	Crimson Rosella	145
	Derbyan	320
	Golden-manteled	100
	Grey-cheeked	45-60
	Moustache	110-140
	Plum-headed	90	5
	Quaker or Monk	90-150
	Red-rumped	60
PARROTS
	Brown-headed	125
	Cape	320	12
	Great-billed	260	13.5
	Greater Vasa	480
	Grey	380-554	12-14
	Hawk-headed	250	11
	Jardine’s	200	10
	Lesser Vasa	280
	Meyer’s	120	5
	Pesquet’s	700	18
	Red-bellied	125	7
	Scarlet-chested	40
	Senegal	110-130	6
	Timneh Grey	300-360	12
PIONUS
	Blue-headed	230-260
	Bronze-winged	210
	Dusky	200	9
	White-capped	180