Why does my parakeet have a hole above its nostril? Is it serious?

Some crusting can happen when a bird is ready to mate, but that looks a bit more than that -- It is possible your bird has a respiratory issue going on, a fungal infection taking hold in the nostrils, or another type of infection/illness. It would be best to bring him to a vet to have the area flushed out and treatment started for any underlying infection. Separating him to a hospital cage that is kept warm and with easy access to food and water may also help to prevent the spread of any illness and to keep Ocean comfortable if your other parakeet is picking on him until you can be seen by your vet. You can also use a warm washcloth to try and remove any debris to make him more comfortable.

He should be examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating birds. That hole/wound should be checked for infection and treated if necessary. Sometimes, lovebirds can inadvertently cause trauma during "beak play" but if Malik is alone, it may be infection or other trauma.

They can get these with injury or disease of the nostrils. If it's just an injury, then it will start going down within a week. If it's something else like an infection, then it will grow or look wose. It is not too dangerous right now, but best to have an avian vet exam within the next day or two. They can help determine if it's serious or not.

Thanks for reaching out about Hadi and including photos. There appears to be a wound lateral to the nostril. Could she have flown into something and hurt her head? The other possibility is self trauma due to a sinus infection which could be bacterial or fungal. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Not sure what you are referring to by "something up her nose", but they do have a piece of flesh called the operculum, within the nare. Exposure to a steamy bathroom for 10-15 minutes could moisturize the sinus passages. Good luck.

Although a picture of it would help to determine the underlying cause more specifically, this presentation could be either due to an infection or possibly to a mass which is creating some sort of obstruction and secondary infection. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Those pictures are very blurry so it is hard to tell anything, but if there is discolored discharge coming from the nose and it is making Bella have a hard time breathing, she could be suffering from an upper respiratory infection or blockage of the nasal passageways. It would be best to get her into a vet ASAP so any blockage can be flushed out and treatment can begin to treat the underlying issue. In the meantime, keeping her warm, stress-free and gently wiping any debris from the nose to help her breathe better may help. You may also want to place her in a hospital cage if she is housed with other birds, and provide easy access to fresh water and a balanced diet until you can be seen by your vet.

Thanks for reaching out about Petri and including a photo. This could be a low grade sinus infection. Try give a humidity treatment in a steamy shower for 10-15 minutes once or twice daily for a few days. If the clinical condition worsens, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. This also would be a good time to review diet, as vitamin A deficiencies can play a part in low grade respiratory infections. Good luck.