Story about first trip outside unclipped

[Reznik]

Hello everyone, hope you and the fids are all doing well!

I have a story to share with you all! I'm so proud of Jerry, my 7 year old Nanday. We have been together only a year but are getting along great and he continues to improve on his training. Today was his first outdoor experience. I took him outside in a smaller cage and let him get some fresh air for about an hour, after he seemed fine with his surroundings I took him out to my shoulder and we spent 2 hours just lounging in the sun and walking around my property. For the past six months I have been training him to always fly back to my shoulder. I put him in scenarios in the house where I run around and he chases me down. We spend a couple hours a day together playing, play fighting, working on recall training etc. Anyhow...

He loved the outdoors, he didn't try to fly off at all, but I was confident enough that if he were to do so he would return.

After getting him about a year ago I was inspired by watching videos from Chris Biro and his free flight birds. We are going for a another trip outside tomorrow if the weather stays warm. Just thought I'd share with all, I'm so proud of him!

Oh, and we had loads of blue jays come around after seeing him and with a few big screams he scared them all off!

[tvymola]

Please be careful with this, I have seen too many horror stories of free flight birds taking off. It is wonderful what you are doing for your beloved bird, but you may want to consider a harness. It only takes a moment for something to go horribly wrong and your love could be lost forever.

[Valo's Moirana]

that's wonderful - i admire people who can do the recall training... though valo always flies to me when i call him, i'd be way too afraid to bring him outside without a harness (or clipped wings or a cage)...

i'm pretty sure that people who practice free-flight, recall training are mentally prepared for the possibility of the bird just taking off....

[angelicarboreals]

Please consider what could go wrong if your bird was spooked, etc. Not long ago a gentleman who had several free flighted videos of his grey on youtube was horror stricken when the grey, who up until this point returned to him every time they practiced on the guys back patio, was spooked by sirens (I think it was) and took off. The man posted another video with him crying (it was terrrible and heartbreaking to witness) asking people to possibly rethink freeflight training.

It is just a thought. No matter how tame we think our parrots are, they are still wild creatures who if spooked, will save themselves from any perceived threat. Even if that means leaving their favorite human.

[BigBird]

I agree, never put human emotions onto an animal. Dont think it loves you so much it wont seize an opportunity to take off. Good luck with it, but I know I love my birds too much to even contemplate trying free flight. They get enough exercise with the run of the house, that will have to do them.

[Reznik]

Thank you all for your concerns. I agree with you all that the risk is and can be very high. A couple of hours after posting yesterday we went back outside and he went for two flights, first one he flew for several minutes circling me and returned, screaming at the top of his lungs, I could tell he was loving it! Second time he landed in a nearby tree, after approaching the tree he returned to my shoulder without me even calling. Great learning experience for the both of us. Having said that, it was a bit nerve racking seeing him take off 100's of feet from me before circling back.

Fall is setting in so the few warmer days we have left are limited. We'll continue to train indoors over the long winter. A note to all, I have a few birds now, all medium size, but he is the only one I would even consider taking outside for flight. I would no recommend anyone taking a bird out unless both of you are 100% on it. After our first outdoor flights I'm going to work with him further to improve his training and other techniques.

[KimM]

I think that's great. Newt is so high strung, I'm not sure he wouldn't fly off of me if he was frightened. I started harness training, but he wasn't having it at that time.. I need to start over again

Maybe you could practice "scary sounds" in the house like sirens, dogs barking etc, planes flying over etc so he could get used to those sounds and he wouldn't get spooked outside. Do you think that would work?

If you do, let me know I may try it with my boys. Elliot isn't too phased by anything but I don't have to worry about him flying away since he physically can't (my special-abled baby), but Newt. yes, he can fly even clipped.

[Reznik]

As far as replicating outside noises and threats indoors I don't know how beneficial that would be. It may be a very good idea but not something I have practiced. For months I have been taking Jerry my Nanday everywhere I can with me to get used to and exposed to as many new things possible I have a small cage for him and he travels with me, in the car he sits on my shoulder, in the house when doing the recall training I don't always make myself available, before he lands I run off and he chases me down. I think he enjoys the challenge and hope that when I do call or am readily available for landing he'll be more likely. As everyone else has suggested the chances of a bird flying off are very high, and I have spent just as much time training my others as I have the Nanday, but he is the only one I would ever consider doing this with. I don't know if I could ever find or train another bird like him in my lifetime.

For most birds, let alone people I would not suggest doing this.

[KimM]

Originally Posted by Reznik

As far as replicating outside noises and threats indoors I don't know how beneficial that would be. It may be a very good idea but not something I have practiced. For months I have been taking Jerry my Nanday everywhere I can with me to get used to and exposed to as many new things possible I have a small cage for him and he travels with me, in the car he sits on my shoulder, in the house when doing the recall training I don't always make myself available, before he lands I run off and he chases me down. I think he enjoys the challenge and hope that when I do call or am readily available for landing he'll be more likely. As everyone else has suggested the chances of a bird flying off are very high, and I have spent just as much time training my others as I have the Nanday, but he is the only one I would ever consider doing this with. I don't know if I could ever find or train another bird like him in my lifetime.

For most birds, let alone people I would not suggest doing this.

I honestly have no idea either if it would be beneficial, but I've watched Chris Biro too. He's amazing. I would think he would be the best teacher as well. Although I know he lives in a very rural area. I'm in the city and don't know if that could be replicated with all of the "city noises".

[Monica]

Reznik, I'm most curious about something... With training, and all this exercise, have you noticed any changes in behavior? And if so, what? Such as behavior before training as well as after. Can you tell us how his behavior differs from a caged bird who doesn't get exercise? Or can you tell us the benefits, as well as the downfalls, that you've noticed with an exercised/trained bird?