Growth on Cockatiels Beak!

Question
My family adopted a cockatiel in a round about way. He was found wandering the streets in the Bay Area (CA) and someone scooped him up. This someone couldn't keep him and tried to find a good home for him. Through MANY different connections, we wound up with the birdie and named him Alberio (a beautiful double star in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan).

Anyway, we think he may have been horribly abused at some point in his past and he, until really recently, has been very aggressive. A week or two ago, I noticed that Alberio had (what LOOKED like) a bump on his lower beak that I could only describe as pizza sauce... no we don't let him near pizzas! He would scratch at it occasionally, but now he seems used to it. It's an orangy color and looks sort of scabby, but because of what he's gone through, I don't want to physically restrain and thus traumatize the poor guy.

If this sounds serious, I will most certainly take him to a vet, but I need to know what I can do, look for, prepare for, try, etc. I love my moody birdie and I don't want this to be some kind of parasite or fungus or something that will kill him.

*worried*

Thanks for your time,
Diana and Alberio

Answer
Hi Diana!  Alberio...that's such a beautiful name!  Congratulations on having him as an addition to your family!
What you have described is very hard to diagnose without actually seeing him.  Since you mentioned that he would scratch at it and that he was found wandering outside, a common suspected ailment would be mites.  Tiny microscopic mites commonly infect birds.  These mites can cause irritation which would lead to a lesion as you have described.  This may also be caused by infection.
Birds are very touchy, medically speaking.  I do believe that the most beneficial thing for you and Alberio would be a vet visit.  Since this lesion does not seem to be bothering him or hindering him, I wouldn't think that this is something extremely life threatening, however I do believe that it is definitely worth a physical examination.
I wish I could be of more help.  Please let me know how Alberio does!
Hilary