Birds outdoors without a cage - Risky or risk overblown?

[lcbrink]

I've seen a lot of photos of pet birds outdoors in trees and elsewhere, and it begs a question from me.

I have heard for many years that you do not let your pet bird outside the house unless it is in the cage (Even with the wings clipped). The danger of flyoff, being attacked by the local fauna, and your pet getting into something it shouldn't be makes the risk too high.

I know most places of the US get better weather than New York, but isn't it too dangerous to let your birds outdoors without being in a cage? Was all the advice I've heard saying "Never do it!" wrong?

Just trying to get a feel for current feelings on the subject. I'm too paranoid to do it myself, and unless my bird can hang on to my motorcycle's handlebars REAL tight he's never going outdoors without being in a cage. :icon_smil

[kp_in_scott]

Each person has to make his on decision in this respect. We did it and had no problems what so ever.....until this March when bobble of the arm and a strong gust of wind caused Gabriel to take his first flight EVER. There is nothing more sickening than the feeling that you feel as you see one of the loves of your life take off into the wild blue yonder. God was watching as Gabriel tried to take a turn back toward my hubby and lost altitude. He landed in the middle of a black berry thicket and just stayed where he was until hubby could battle his way through the briars to retrieve him. I am not about to tell ANYONE how to handle their own birds, because I don't want anyone telling me how to handle mine. You must take into consideration, your own circumstances and be willing to live with the consequences. We got an aviary so that our birds could have outside time in relative safety. We do walk each bird to the aviary(it's just outside the door) on our hands with toes securely held.

[Monica]

The advice is actually right. If our birds are not trained to fly to us outside (I have seen on tv macaws that would sit outside at the top of pine trees, and fly back to the house on command... add to that, there is a story of a grey here that lives and flies outside in Singapore... would have to look that one up to be sure) then they would take off and fly away (the dangers of having birds outside, of course). Leaving a bird outside in its cage is usually far safer if he cannot get out, and predators cannot get in. This also keeps the bird from getting into things that they shouldn't be, but can be a problem as well. If someone were not to keep a close eye on their birds, someone could either come and pick them up, or even worse, the cage could be knocked over, even into a pool, and the bird wouldn't be able to escape.

Much of the feelings of taking birds outside is the same, because most of us are not bird trainers to get the birds to fly to us with distractions and dangers around them. Yes, maybe you have seen my post of my birds outside. I would never dare take one of the smaller birds outside without a cage because they are flighted. I do think about how they would love to be outside cageless, but to risk their safety such as that I will not. For the two larger birds, tiel and conure, the tiel is clipped. The conure cannot fly so there is no danger of her taking off.

I guess you could say the same with falconrey, or even dogs and cats. If left outside, they may be able to find a way to leave the property. It's just a matter of keeping them confined in a large area (if possible), and/or keeping them well trained and to come when called.

[CACPioneer]

I suppose that for bigger birds (macaws, 'toos, etc.) the risk of taking them outside when clipped and properly trained is less than that of a smaller bird. I almost lost my male budgie when I took him outside with me and something made him decide to take off (even though he had come out with me several times before and had never done anything of the sort). He was clipped with just the beginnings of two primary feathers on each wing growing out, but he was able to get a good 500 or so feet away from me and land in the middle of a pond. I'll spare you the details, but I almost lost him. So, I will never, ever, ever take my birds outside unless they're in a cage or leashed. I use a cage because I can't imagine fighting with two little budgies to get them into a flight suit.

As was already said, the decision is ultimately up to the owner. Some birds are able to go outside because they are trained enough so they won't take off. I, personally, wouldn't take any bird outside without some sort of leash/cage because of what has happened in my experience. You never know when something might spook the bird, attract the bird, etc. But, again, it's an individual decision. After all, nobody knows a bird better than its owner/guardian.

[oslund]

There was a post on this board just the other day about a bird that was outside in a cage and got hurt when a cat attacked the bird and tries to pull it through the bars of the cage.

For me personally, if my birds are outside I am right there with them at all times and they are usually in a travel cage (if they are going to the vet), a large dog crate the size of their cage at home with narrow bar spacing (if we are hanging out at a picnic or somewhere else) or on my arm with a harness or flight suit on (again, if we're hanging out at a picnic or going on a walk or something). Those are the options that my guys have. I too am too paranoid

[carriesb]

I actually have nightmares about my birds getting lost or taking off so the thought of taking them outside with nothing like a cage makes me sick to my stomach. I have smaller birds the tiel and the budgie but I think even with bigger birds I wouldn't do it. It's to hard to predict if somethings going to scare them. And as far as taking them outside in a cage I would watch them very closely still. But everyone has there own opinions and experiences.

[Tiki]

I don't take mine out unless they are in a cage or on a harness/leash. The tiels are fully flighted and I don't clip them because they can fly even when clipped. My quaker is still too new here to be trained on the flightsuit/leash, maybe in another month or so. But no one is allowed out free flighted, there are just too many things that can go wrong. Everyday, I see ads in the paper for lost tiels especially.

[Takoda]

ironically i was discussing this with the asst manager at work today.

i feel it is extremely negligent of an owner to take ANY animal outside without it being "in its owner's control." Take that as you will, but...

there are people a few doors down with a rottie. I love all dogs, and I love rotties. They don't leash their dog, and they have what my city would consider "reasonable control" over the animal (we have a leash law). That is, until another dog comes down the street. And one of my dogs is extremely dog aggressive, and I mean she goes for blood. The rottie would certainly kill her if provoked (and I think a dog trying to rip out her eye would test even the best natured beast).

The point being, there are always situations which you may or may not be able to predict. What is "reasonable control?" You can't 100% trust any animal that is not properly leashed or contained. What if a bigger scarier bird swoops overhead? If there is a crack of thunder? If a ball from next door suddenly bounces in the yard?It is best if you keep your bird harnessed or in its cage.

[Peregrine Harlequin]

I've had no experience with taking birds outside, just so you know. As for riding with a bird, what about using a leash and riding a bicycle (or just slow on the motorcycle)? I've thought that that might be something for me and a future bird to enjoy doing together.

As for just taking the bird out in your yard, I've got three reasons why I never would: female Cooper's hawk. For those who don't know, accipiters (Cooper's hawk, goshawk, and sharp-shinned hawk) have an interesting way of hunting. They like to scope out potential hunting grounds ahead of time. When they decide to strike, they'll sneak up behind what cover is available to them (house, fence, shrubs, etc.). They get the jump on whatever might be there, and don't have too much of a problem once they catch a meal. And a female Cooper's hawk just might get hungry enough to take her chances with whatever bird a person might have in his/her yard.

And the larger goshawks have been known to kill birds when they're not even in need of food.

I don't have any experience with fully flighted birds or their training. Hopefully in several years I'll get into falconry, but until then I wouldn't risk it.

And I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but around here we have hawks in our yard 2-3 times a week in the winter. I could've mentioned wind gusts, being startled, etc., but around here the hawks seem to be the biggest threat. Just my two pennies.

[Vankarhi]

I do let my birds outside with supervision and clipped wings. My galah loves to strutt around the yard and forage around under the trees. The ekkie does not like to be on the grass, so she is on a perch, on my shoulder or I put her in one of our native trees. I do not let Bo outside now as I have allowed her wings to grow back in anticipation of getting an aviary built and she will go in there. Today i took Skye with me in her travel cage to a million paws walk (a fundraiser walk for Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals = RSPCA). There were over 90 dogs and I was a bit worried about letting her out of her cage. She stayed in her cage except for when they had a pet parade (all dogs except for Skye) and I knew she would stay on my shoulder. I have lost Bo about 6 times and have been very lucky to get her back each time. I have not lost Skye yet. I have tried her in a harness, but she almost strangled herself in it and I felt it was too dangerous. Just my own experince and thoughts. As Tiki said also, I have owned cockatiels who can still fly even when severely clipped and I have lost quite a few of them this way. But my bigger birds can't fly quite as easily.