How important is fledging?

[totemthepole]

OH NO! So have I destroyed my bird? He's an Amazon, he was starting to fly pretty well but would just crash into the windows. I was told clipping them before they fledge makes them bond to you better. So this guy clipped em, just cut the tips off about six flight feathers. Is this too much? WOn't they grow back? AAAACK.

He never even tries to fly except when he;s hungry....he can still glide to the ground ok. Wont' the feathers grow back pretty quickly? I hope so....

[SDavid]

"OH NO! So have I destroyed my bird?"

This is exactly the type of panic that issues surrounding bird keeping tend to generate. I'm guilty of panicing over several things myself after reading things on the net. And yes, that is my question as well...have we crippled our birds for life?

Alot of what's written tends to be from people who are trying to put forth their personal cause so whether it's about weaning, diet, fledging, sometimes the authors do go overboard in trying to scare you. It's important to know the author and thier qualifications and research.

The more I research the more cofusing it gets though. One thing that is obvious is that alot of what you read is people recounting thier own experiences and that's fine-that's all we've got sometimes. I would love to have some medical/scientific artilce stating "truths" about birdkeeping. But, it seems birdkeeping is more or an art than a science. And there are many factors that influence a companion birds happiness. Even though my particular concern right now is the question of fledging.

I do believe that fledging is better although I have two birds that have been clipped since day one and they seem happy and well adjusted. I really wanted to experience the joy of watching my bird fledge (whether I was eventually going to clip or not) and am disappointed to be denied that experience. It would be ok if I had some assurance that she's not mentally "damaged" even though I know she can be completely happy as a companion bird.

I do believe our birds as their wings grow in can learn to fly accurately and get needed exercise.There are many people who've let their birds wings grow in. Some are even free-flying.

[tielfan]

the store owner is a firm believer that flying is instinctual

Flying IS instinctual. Steering and landing are not, and must be learned. At least that's my (very limited) experience with my tiel chicks.

I don't know how applicable this is to other species, but at Winged Wisdom Pet Bird Magazine - The Responsible Breeding of Cockatiels Part VI - Fledgling Cockatiels they recommend a progressive wing clip for cockatiel chicks - take two feathers per wing after they've acquired some flying skill, then another two on a later date, and so on until the desired level is reached. I did this with my chicks but ended up taking a total of only four feathers per wing. Cockatiels are strong flyers and the chicks can still fly through several rooms in one go, but they're safer now that they've been slowed down a little.

[becca623]

Something that I've been told by breeders and avian vets is that birds who are allowed to properly fledge also have better eye sight than birds that were clipped too soon. I have to say that from my experience this seems to be true.
As you said, it's too late to do anything about it now. Your baby can still learn to fly as his/her new flight feathers come in. My eclectus was 1 1/2 before he could fly. The breeder hacked his wing feathers baaaaaaaad before he ever had a chance to fly. I got him before he was four months. The breeder clipped him before I met him so there was nothing I could do. It took a long time for the new feathers to grow out but he now flies through the house with my amazon (she was never clipped) and his breast muscles have really developed. It seems more difficult for birds to fly at first who were clipped as babies but most of them will eventually become quite good at it.
There are a few pet stores about an hour or so from me that allow some of the babies to learn to fly. The employees work with the birds before the store opens and during slow hours. One store even harness trains the birds. Some of the babies are clipped before the store buys them so not all of the babies can fly but they try to give all the birds flight lessons.

[Tombstone]

I think flight is the most important thing in a birds' life - the ability to fly means that the bird can escape danger, get proper exercise, and do the one thing that sets him apart from others in the animal kingdom. You would no more want to purposely take away a bird's ability to fly as you would want to take away a human child's ability to walk just because it's safer if 2 years olds can't walk around on their own! See how absurb that sounds? In my opinion, it is no less absurd to clip a bird's wings before it has learned to fly.

The consequences of not being allowed to learn to fly are of a developmental nature as well as psychological - birds that cannot fly become more afraid with more of a tendency to bite than ones that know they can fly away from danger when they want to. Also, birds that feather pluck and scream are often times not flyers. It is very important that your bird learn to fly.

However, just remember that your bird is young, and even though it is not ideal that he not have the chance to master flying while he is being weaned, you can allow him to learn once you get him home. Be aware that often times pet stores do not properly wean a bird - your macaw may come to you and beg for food - if so, simply restart the handfeeding until the bird weans properly in his own time. The reason I am suggesting this is that many times birds that aren't allowed to fledge properly tend to have to be forced weaned - combine that with pet stores' tendencies to force wean early so they can make the sale sooner and get their money --- and that could mean you get a baby bird that is not yet ready to be weaned.

I wouldn't totally freak out about the wing clipping, just make it clear to them that you intend to allow the bird to learn to fly and master it before clipping them again, and that major decisions regarding your bird should be cleared with you before actions are taken in the future. Also, you might ask them what their weaning philosophy is. Google abundance weaning - and if you agree with what you read about it - tell them that is the method of weaning you want used. Hopefully, they'll approach it with the idea that the "customer is always right!!!" Abundance weaning will result in a better adjusted bird who is not a picky eater - more secure - less prone to behavorial problems, etc.

As soon as you get your bird home, start finding opportunities to allow your bird to test out his wings. Large Macaws sometimes tend to not even try to fly again if their wings are clipped when they are very young. If they get too old without developing those muscles, it will be that much harder to get them to fly. DO not wait to get your baby back in the air. Just remember to find a safe, secure location for him to fly so that he is less likely to get injured and not able to escape.

Good luck!

Angela