Wing Clipping

[jmfleish]

Well, I seem to have lost a post in here. Basically, living with a fully flighted bird isn't for everyone but if you can educate yourself on how to do it, it's a wonderful thing for you and your bird in so many ways.

All the reasons that Cathie brought up can be looked at in a different way and I just wish people would do that more often. In most cases, the birds being lost every year are not the fully flighted ones who are living with those of us who came to the decision in an educated way. They are the clipped ones who are being taken outside by owners who think their bird has no idea how to fly or think that just because the bird is clipped, it can't fly. Or, my personal favorite, they don't keep up with the clip and the bird is technically fully flighted and the owner has no real clue how to keep the bird truly safe.

If you're going to clip, then make sure you're diligent about it. If you want to live with a fully flighted bird, do the research and educate yourself.

As to the brain damage...that's a tragic story, but it's all due to poor fledging, another thing that we don't talk about nearly enough. Breeders do it all the time but those of us with adult birds who are re-learning flight need a little help. It's very easy to teach a bird to fly but if not done correctly, it can have dire, even mortal consequences.