What does (psittacine) mean to a layperson? Psittacine simply means parrot, or hookbill as they are sometimes called - the disease PBFD affect parrots of all species - other birds such as finches and softbills are not affected by PBFD. There is a similar disease which has only just been discovered which affects doves and pigeons.

There are two forms of PBFD, an acute form and a chronic form. It wasn't until the 1970 that a description of psittacine beak and feather disease was reported. The mistaken belief is that this is a disease of cockatoos only, but unfortunately this is not the case with new species of parrots being diagnosed every day as victims of PBFD.

PBFD is a virus, and a very infectious disease, with the added problem of not being able to be grown outside the birds body. PBFD is unable to be grow in a laboratory situation. This has been one of the major problems with formulating a vaccine for PBFD.

PBFD birds with the chronic disease lose their feathers over a period of time, their beaks grown abnormally, and without proper care these birds can starve to death. This care means wearing a coat, and having a beak trim on a regular basis. These birds with PBFD in the chronic form usually are really very loving birds, ane hardly ever are biters - almost as if they know they do not have long to live.

The acute form of the disease usually affect the young birds, they will show signs of depression, lack of appetite, deformity of growing feathers, broken feathers. Death is a lot quicker for the birds with acute PBFD.