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Re: Flighted Birds......

Posted by Alison on 1/11/06
(117) Comments
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    On 1/11/06, Patsy wrote:
    > I have been reading this thread for some time and I have
    > decided to take the time to post.
    >
    > Until those of you who clip wings spend time with a fully
    > flighted you will never know the difference.
    >
    > Have you ever taken the time to interact with a bird that
    > has been fully flighted from a baby? How are you able to
    > intelligently make a decision on what is correct when you
    > have no information about flight then your own biased
    > opinion? When someone does give you good information you
    > shoot it down because it doesn't tell you what you want to
    > hear.
    >
    > Due to your lack of credentials every time you speak you
    > loose validity. Until you have lived with a fully flighted
    > bird you are definitely not qualified to give advice on
    > their behalf.
    >
    > Below is a link to the cockatiel chat...even this owner can
    > see they difference when birds are allowed to fly.
    ___________________________________________
    Well, based on your description of who is and isn't qualified
    to give advice here, I definitely qualify. Not to mention I
    have been keeping birds for more than 30 years and I dealt
    with hundreds of birds over the 10 year that I ran a bird
    shelter. By the way, what are your qualifications? I have
    had flighted birds and I have had clipped birds. When I was
    young, my smaller birds used to be full flight and allowed
    free range of the room(s) that they were safest in. They
    were not allowed out of that room to fly because there are
    too many dangers for a flighted bird in our homes. Even at a
    young age I could grasp THAT concept. My CAG was full flight
    (and plucked on the chest) when I got him back and he
    proceeded to fly into a window and knock himself out cold. I
    trimmed his wings slightly to slow the speed at which he
    could fly in the hopes that he would get better at
    manuevering in the space provided (the bird room), that
    failed to work. He still crashed into walls, windows, etc.
    hurting himself each time. So I clipped him and he is still
    fully clipped, not to mention, he is also fully feathered
    again (for those of you who think clipping causes plucking).
    I have had him for 11 years and he is far from depressed
    about being clipped, or deprived of fun and exercise. Now my
    B&G is another story. There is no place in my home (or any
    average home) big enough to even attempt allow such a large
    bird to fly, not to mention all the other dangers in a
    typical home. Her wing span would not allow her to manuever
    the halls or doorways without injuring herself. And the
    largest room in my home is the bird room, 13ft X 23ft, which
    is no where near big enough to allow her flight. Her
    previous owner left her full flight and the bird never once
    attempted it. Why? I would venture to guess that she is
    smart enough to realize that there isn't enough space for her
    to fly, therefore never considered it an option. An average
    (human) house to a Macaw (or large Too) is nothing more than
    a bigger cage. Was I putting my smaller birds at risk by
    keeping them flighted, even though they were contained in
    certain rooms...absolutely, but that was many years ago when
    I didn't know any better. There was always the chance of
    someone opening the door and having them get out to where
    they shouldn't be and get hurt or killed. I was lucky with
    my smaller birds for a while. Then it happened, the door was
    left open, the bird got out, went into the kitchen and out
    the back door. He only survived for a very short time before
    a hawk had him for lunch. I had only myself to blame for
    that. I very lucky with my U2. He was deliberately allowed
    to get full flight so I could take photos of him that way for
    an article. He was going to be clipped right after the
    photos, but before that could happen, he flew into a sliding
    screen door. The force knocked the door off the runners and
    the door and the bird ended up out on the deck. He took to
    the sky. He was found half dead on the side of the road 10
    days later by a old couple out for a walk. I love my birds
    way too much to put them at risk like that ever again. Even
    if you are lucky enough never to have your flighted bird
    escape from you house, you are putting them in more danger
    keeping them flighted in a normal average house, than you are
    by clipping them. Myself and several other 'experienced'
    bird keepers could go on and on with things we have seen
    happen to flighted birds in peoples houses and none of us
    want to see that happen to more birds. We love my birds
    enough to protect them from senseless injuries and death.
    That is the bottom line. -Alison-