Who has flighed birds?

[Franciscus]

All three of my birds are flighted and I prefer it that way. They have all spent time clipped, they came that way to me, and they have spent periods of time clipped and periods flighted. I don't always find them easy to manage that way but I feel they are healthier both physically and emotionally and, most often, more entertaining. Definitely more vigilance is required so they don't fly out the door or get into trouble some other way (like Caillou drinking dish water!!). I think in North America the more common way is to clip, although I think that may be changing. What are your thoughts?

[pippy]

My three are all flighted, have never been clipped and never will be.

Clipping a bird to make life easier for the owner (and let's face it, whether people are prepared to admit it or not this usually what it boils down to) is immoral and cruel. Some will say it's for the safety of the bird, well make sure you work harder to keep your bird safe then rather than cut it's wings half off!

Don't want the hassle? Don't get a bird.

I think that sums up my views on the subject!

[JenJenna]

My 2 Amazons are not flighted. I do want them to be flighted, I have been just too scared one of my irresponsible boys (6, 11 and 13) will leave a door open. This was my first summer as a parrot mother and I have noticed that my boys really never actually leave the doors open, in addition, most of the time it's too cold in Wisconsin to ever forget you left a door open, lol. So, I am going to let their flight feathers grow out and give it a whirl. I have the perfect house for a flighted bird.

[LovelySydney]

Oliver and Emi are not clipped. They will both have free reign of the upstairs and it is safe up there for them to fly. Oliver knows what places he likes up there and as we all saw in the photos, they both like to perch above the door!! Neko is clipped and will probably stay that way. He is a velcro birdie and with people all the time, and especially since he comes to work with me, we cant have him flying about.

[xafsmom]

Most of my birds are flighted or have a very moderate clip that allows them to fly but not achieve break-neck speeds. Those that are gently clipped are that way for their safety. They can still fly, it just takes a bit more effort which causes them to slow down somewhat in the air. The one bird that isn't flighted is so because he flies at faces and goes for eyeballs. He's ripped the skin off my cheek to where I needed 7 stitches to close it; in an eye blink. Oddly, he's as gentle as a lamb for my daughter, but anyone else gets maimed.

Our house is pretty safe though, with a screened in front porch, so any door opening is escape proof.

[Feathered Companions]

I'm unsure about clipping. Sometimes I see it as a positive and sometimes a negative. I believe extreme clipping is completely wrong, a bird should be able to fly a little, especially be able to safely land if they fall off of something. But depending on the room they have, not being clipped at all can be dangerous. I'm not nervous about one flying out of the house but running into a window too hard. It is soo easy for them to cause internal problems. But then I have a lot of baby birds flying in my house, so their navigation is not as well. (I'm a Breeder) My pet cockatoo isn't trimmed and has learned not to fly off of her play stand at all but the babies are always wanting to get to you :) So I normally only trim about a inch off of the wings to make sure they don't get hurt but can still safely explore and get to me. It also does allow to be more playful because they seem not as nervous about falling.

[Feathered Companions]

Another picture :) And I forgot to add how gorgeous a full-growth, unclipped wing is on any type of bird.

[MissV]

Originally Posted by pippy

Clipping a bird to make life easier for the owner (and let's face it, whether people are prepared to admit it or not this usually what it boils down to) is immoral and cruel. Some will say it's for the safety of the bird, well make sure you work harder to keep your bird safe then rather than cut it's wings half off!

I'm sorry, but this seriously angers me.

No, I do not clip my birds' wings (which are kept clipped to allow flight, but not fast speeds and no significant gains in altitude) to make life easier for me. I have a small house, five thousand daggom hawks that like to hang around all through the fall and winter because food is short up in the mountains now, and a decidedly agressive Sun conure.


It is in no way more convenient for me to have to go retrieve one of the fids from somewhere because they cant' fly to find me and don't feel like walking at that moment. It is not convenient to have to keep up with clipping, and make sure that if I'm getting it done professionally (which costs money for each one) that it's done right to allow them the amount of flight that still keeps them happy and confident in their abilities.


I DO clip their wings for their own safety. Because I don't want, by my own fault or someone elses's them getting outside, getting lost, starving to death, being eaten, or being attacked and murdered by the many many cats and dogs running around this area.

This also not to mention the danger of a spooked bird just flying smack into something, and don't tell me it's rare, because I know that, but it happens and I still don't want it happening to MY fids.


Flight is not the be all and end all of the universe. Birds that aren't threatened by predation and have plentiful food evolve to be flightless. I have had flighted and non-flighted birds and everytime I have noticed no difference in their health or happiness as a result of either.



But what bothers me the most is that I NEVER judge the intent of someone who chooses to keep a bird flighted, so I think it is quite wrong, and honestly pretty insensitive and mean to judge others on their intentions for clipping.

[MissV]

Originally Posted by Feathered Companions

Another picture :) And I forgot to add how gorgeous a full-growth, unclipped wing is on any type of bird.

Can't argue there. They're pretty much built to look right like that...nothing prettier than those long feathers trailing off. ^^

[xafsmom]

MissV: Do you know.. it took me about 2 minutes and an actual Google search to realize 'daggom' hawks wasn't a species I hadn't heard about?

*blush* LOL