James Harris, DVM
"Inflated" bird might be gulping his food
 My 16-year-old blue-and-gold macaw, George, has always been able to inflate and deflate an area in his neck and down to his chest, from the middle to right side. He blows up like a balloon and when he lets out the air it smells like what he has eaten. He does this quite often, usually when he gets excited. Is this normal or does he have something wrong with his crop?
-- Dwina Alley
 The process of being weaned off handfeeding is a stressful time for some parrots, and a few develop some strange psychologically-based eating habits as a result. For instance, some young birds allowed to play with their water can develop psychogenic pollydypsia, or overdrinking of water.
George sounds like he is suffering from a disorder called aerophagia (AIR-oh-FAY-jee-uh). Basically, he is swallowing too much air along with his food and then belching the excess.
Humans with this condition often experience distention and discomfort. In parrots, the extra air distends the crop, that section of the esophagus located at the base of the neck. In some species of birds, including parrots and chickens, the crop serves as a storage compartment. It lets the bird gulp food and then retire to a safe place away from predators to digest it. When George eats too fast, the crop inflates with extra air. When he deflates his crop - or burps - you can smell his food.
While not the most attractive condition, aerophagia is probably not life threatening. You might be able to reduce the amount of air George swallows by encouraging him to eat more slowly. You can do this by making him work for his food. Drill holes in a block of wood and insert nuts in the holes, or hang food in a large mesh basket over his head. This way he can eat only a little at a time.
James Harris, DVM is owner and medical director of the Mayfair Veterinary Clinic in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia. He founded Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland, Calif., and has served as medical director and chairman of the board for the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Berkeley. Dr. Harris' numerous professional honors include California and National Bustad Companion Animal DVM Awards.
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