..Making the Decision
Making the decision to clip wings or to allow flight can be a very difficult one for us as caregivers. It is difficult because, on a very fundamental level, feathers and flight fascinate us. There is magic to a creature who can fly. Further, on some level, clipping flight feathers is uncomfortable for us. Even as we are convinced of the necessity to do so, we harbor secret regret and discomfort about removing flight from a creature whose birthright it is to fly as its primary means of locomotion. And, it is a difficult decision because, as we have seen, the consequences of each choice can be heavy ones.
Therefore, in making the decision, careful consideration must be given to all aspects and all projected consequences of each choice. Many questions must be asked about the home, the family and the parrot before a well-reasoned and wise choice can be made. When owners take the time to do such a thorough analysis, the choice can be made with confidence. If we decide to clip those flight feathers, we may regret the need, but we will rest confidently in the knowledge that the choice is the right one, because the other has been thoroughly researched and found impossible. If we decide to allow flight, our commitment to this will be complete and this will serve us well as we go to all the work involved in doing so.
In order to make the best decision, we must set the romance aside and critically examine the options. Each parrot (and the decision to leave him flighted or to clip wings) is a study of one. Each parrot, each home, and each owner must be assessed, posing questions such as those below.
Assessing the Home
If allowing flight seems like a good idea, assess the home as a starting point:
Can you secure it? Can you arrange your entrances and exits in such a way that the parrot can not be lost, if he chooses to fly to you?
Are all family members reliable, in terms of keeping doors shut?
Is there room for an outdoor aviary, in which the parrot can be acclimated to the outdoors? Is there a way to then transport him safely to and from it?
Is the home large enough that the parrot can develop really good flight skills?
Are there places in each room where you can put hanging perches so that the parrot will have designated and enriching spots to spend time?
Are there any animals in the home who might be a danger to a flighted parrot?
Assessing the Parrot
Not every parrot is a good candidate for flight. Now that we have removed them from nature and raised them in ways unnatural to the species, the allowance of flight is not always possible. We must assess the parrot, as well as the home:
Will he step up readily? Is he a compliant and cooperative parrot now? If not, it will be better to increase training efforts, using positive reinforcement, to gain better compliance before allowing flight.
Is he aggressive at times? If so, aggression will likely increase if flight is granted.
How old is he? Many older parrots, if they have not learned to fly before the age of 8, have no real interesting in doing so. A parrot with the capability to fly, but no real flight skills is in real danger.
Has he ever flown? A parrot who has flown before will learn to fly again much more easily.
Does he lack confidence? This may be a good reason to allow flight, since the ability to fly generally causes a parrot to feel safe in the world. He knows he can get away, should danger be present.
Assessing Ourselves
As much as we might like to think that we are good candidates for living with a flighted parrot, not all of us are. We must honestly assess ourselves, as well.
Does training interest me?
Do I have the time to train?
Will I learn to train?
Can I tolerate some destruction of household items?
Am I willing to hang perches from the ceiling and otherwise create multiple perching sites?
Am I absent-minded?
Am I willing to purchase an outdoor aviary?
Is this important enough to me that I can be hugely inconvenienced?
As you ask yourself these questions and try to come to some honest assessment of yourself, your parrot and your household, try to consult with someone who has already successfully kept flighted parrots for some time in their home and knows how to do it.
Keeping the Clipped Parrot
The decision to clip a parrot should be freely made, and based upon a careful assessment as that above, rather than imposed by present social customs. Each parrot is an individual, as is each owner, and while there are some who believe that all parrots should be flighted, this is not realistic. In some cases, in homes where small children are likely to leave doors open, one of the residents tends to be absent minded, or the parrot is very territorial, it may be a very good decision to keep the companion parrots wings clipped.
If we do choose to keep our parrots clipped, then is it imperative that we take responsibility for doing so. We must learn about the process of molting, and teach the parrot to allow an examination of his wings so that we can tell when flight feathers have grown out and he needs grooming again.
We should either learn to clip the parrot ourselves, or be prepared to act assertively with the groomer and specify the number of flight feathers that should be removed, in order to prevent a bad wing clip. In order to do so, we must know first what constitutes a good wing trim. Both wings should be trimmed an equal amount, and only to the extent that the parrot can glide downward over 8 to 10 feet. Flight feathers should be trimmed from the leading edge inward. Heavy-bodied parrots (those with short tails) like Amazons, often need only the first five or six flight feathers clipped. Light-bodied parrots (those with long tails) like cockatiels may need the first 10 primary feathers trimmed.
When looking for a groomer, we should interview the person carefully, asking questions about how the trimming will be done. If not satisfied with the answers, we should seek help elsewhere. Wing trimming should not be done by amateurs or those without much experience. Wing trims should be done carefully and conservatively. You can not put feathers back after they have been cut off. The parrot can be given a very conservative wing trim, and then be flight tested. If needed, more can then be removed.
Realize that, even though the parrot can not move around to different perching spots at will, he still has the need for a varied and interesting experience. Provide an enriching place to perch in each room, and move him yourself often to accompany you or just to give him a different view of the same room.
Provide lots of enrichment, in terms of things to investigate and destroy. This will also increase his ability to make choices and stay busy with interesting activities. Teach flapping exercises so that he can still get the exercise he needs to have good physical and psychological health.
Treat him as if he is flighted, in terms of insuring his safety. Even clipped parrots can fly away if there is enough breeze and a bit of adrenaline behind a startled flight. Dont take him outdoors on your shoulder or put him on perches or in trees. Give him a safe enclosure in which to enjoy the outdoors.
Train him anyway. Teaching a parrot to do some simple tricks will contribute hugely to his quality of life. Parrots, like all animals, love to learn. Fundamentally, training is simply the process of offering choices and rewarding the desired ones. The more choices, the greater the quality of life. A valuable resource for those hoping to get started using positive reinforcement to train a parrot is Good Bird Magazine, edited by Barbara Heidenreich, available at
Good Bird Inc. Companion Parrot Training Through Positive Reinforcement. Also available from the same source are some DVDs that demonstrate this type of training and will help both the novice and the experienced trainer.
Clicker training is another type of positive reinforcement training. There are some good Internet sites to help you get started with this type of training. My favorite of these is
Clicking with Birds.
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