Symptoms may indicate serious illness.

A bird that is having difficulty breathing is a bird in serious trouble. Signs of respiratory problems include labored breathing, tail bobbing, a clicking noise when the bird breathes, wheezing, sneezing, stretching out the neck and gasping for air (often looks like yawning), breathing with its beak open, scratching at its nostrils constantly, nasal discharge and swollen eyes.

If you notice your bird exhibiting any or all of these symptoms, take it to the veterinarian immediately. Respiratory distress is indicative of such serious problems as upper-respiratory infection and aspergillosis, a difficult-to-treat fungal infection that more often than not results in death if not caught and treated in the very early stages.