my parakeet

Question
Hi,
I was wondering anout the life span of my parakeet.  Also, I am not sure if my bird is plucking himself or not.  How do I tell?  

Thanks,
Hannah

Answer
The Budgerigar, the most common parakeet (or small parrot) has an average lifespan of 5-8 years though many are known to live in excess of 10 years.  

When a bird feather picks you will find bald spots and in some cases broken feathers which bleed.  In the worst cases you will often find they pick their entire body bare of feathers, with the only remaining ones being on top of their head, a spot they are unable to reach.

Sincere apologies for the delayed response.