Brown stains above budgie's cere

[gillym]

I have a young white/blue budgie (Pixie) who is around 3 months old. Over the last few weeks, he has developed some brown stains on his feathers above his cere. Any suggestions as to what could be causing it? And is it serious? Thanks!

[Berserka]

G'day & Welcome to Bird Crazy.

Firstly with the budgie, only an avian vet can tell you with any certainty that he is totally healthy.

There can be a number of causes of the stains.
Budgies are very messy bird. They will wipe their heads on perches that they may have pooped on, they practically dive head first into everything whether it be their food bowl or playing with whatever is on the floor or hanging from the roof.
He could be developing scaley mites - a suggestion for that is rub baby oil into his cere twice a day for a week.
He could be going into a moult and his pin feathers are secreting an oil that is staining his feathers.

I wouldn't be overly concerned - a number of mine over time have had this stain, sometimes it stays around for awhile but mostly it does go away.
I reckon it's something he's rubbing his head on.

If his eating, behaviour and/or his poops change, you might still wish to take him to an avian vet for a check-up.

[gillym]

Thanks for that. I've put eucalyptus branches in his cage, rather than the wooden ones from the pet shop, and he does rub his head on them. The nobbly bits on the branches probably scratch his head!

[Scully]

I have a budgie, that will rub his head on perches when moulting, and sometimes make his head bleed, because of his pin feathers. I have to take him out the avairy occasionally, to wash him. Then when hes dry i give him a pinch of vet powder. It normally does the trick, untill he does it again.

[Berserka]

Sound like you've found the culprit!
He's probably getting eucalyptus oil on his head.