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Do you have full flight birds

Whats your bird(s) flight status?

  • yes, my bird(s) are full-flight

    Votes: 545 65.9%
  • No, my bird(s) are clipped

    Votes: 59 7.1%
  • Some of my birds are clipped and some arent

    Votes: 143 17.3%
  • Im considering full-flight but my bird(s) are currently clipped

    Votes: 80 9.7%

  • Total voters
    827

Aequa

Sprinting down the street
Joined
12/20/13
Messages
447
Location
Australia
Real Name
Caity
While this info is indeed important, it does not need to be carried on the bird.
My Avian Vet has seen bands severely damage birds. IMO- its a better idea to remove them, and keep them safely somewhere perhaps in a file with the vet records. If they have to be re-homed they go with the bird. Just like dogs, cats, horses. Why don't we place bands on dogs and cats?? Because its not very humane. Nor is it on birds. My Ki sometimes bites his, and sometimes it seems to irritate him, I can tell he doesn't like it. We're having it removed like our vet suggested.
We place removable bands on dogs, cats and sometimes horse: collars. Easier to have them brought home when they are found, same with bands on birds. I mean, cows have a tag attached to their ear, like a piercing, and they do a lot more damage than a ring on a leg when things get caught on them :unsure1:
As for sending it with a bird when it's rehomed, how many people can you see doing that? Some birds are cheap so anyone can get their hands on them, they are going to bother holding onto a band for a ornament they have in a round cage with a swing. For rescues, the band is probably a good thing, it's easier to place the poor homeless birds when the age is know ):

I'm not saying I like them, neither of my birds have bands, I don't like them. I'm just giving some an idea of the other side of the argument :) personally, I'd like to see microchips become bigger for all animals and for it to be normal for anyone to have a scanner, I can imagine that being a whole lot more comfortable! :rolleyes:
 

ArtBird

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/11/13
Messages
1,852
Location
Saint Paul
Real Name
Celia
Yes, @22caity22 I get it...did I sound totally ignorant of the other side of the issue?...I have had Ki for 8 years now, and he came with a band from a breeder in Portland.

I never questioned it until I spoke with my Avian Vet about it. I have quite an active little climber/explorer, who has gotten things caught in his band. That's how he hurt his foot and almost lost a toe. And here I am,..... thinking differently now and speaking up for removal as optimal .. Bands are not like collars, they can be easily removed. Bands are not leather and comfy like collars, they are metal and can break a leg. Neither side is optimal yet, there does need to be a way to keep data however a birds safety trumps data in my book.

Probably easiest to do when parrots are in a forever home, no question. Ki does not need his anymore.

micro-chipping is a great idea, maybe if all birds were micro-chipped and could be located through it, the stealing of parrots would decrease. If only our society put that much importance on animal lives.
 

Aequa

Sprinting down the street
Joined
12/20/13
Messages
447
Location
Australia
Real Name
Caity
Yes, @22caity22 I get it...did I sound totally ignorant of the other side of the issue?...I have had Ki for 8 years now, and he came with a band from a breeder in Portland.

I never questioned it until I spoke with my Avian Vet about it. I have quite an active little climber/explorer, who has gotten things caught in his band. That's how he hurt his foot and almost lost a toe. And here I am,..... thinking differently now and speaking up for removal as optimal .. Bands are not like collars, they can be easily removed. Bands are not leather and comfy like collars, they are metal and can break a leg. Neither side is optimal yet, there does need to be a way to keep data however a birds safety trumps data in my book.

Probably easiest to do when parrots are in a forever home, no question. Ki does not need his anymore.

micro-chipping is a great idea, maybe if all birds were micro-chipped and could be located through it, the stealing of parrots would decrease. If only our society put that much importance on animal lives.
Unfortunately collars are equally as dangerous, they often strangle dogs when they jump off things and catch a collar, I've even seen them snap a dog's neck :arghh: And I'd say neither collars (especially chain ones) or bands are comfortable, collars may be removable but at least bands can't be tightened by nasty people and strangle the animal slowly :mad: they're similar to necklaces and anklets/bracelets for us except they are forced on and stay on. Sadly, sometimes to be safe, a bird must find his way home, lest he be kept in a place no one knows a thing about birds. There are safety concerns both sides. Which is why I think microchipping would be ideal from the research I have done on it, except that no one thinks to scan a bird yet. Hopefully eventually! And soon :(
 

Rowdy

Strolling the yard
Joined
5/1/14
Messages
79
Location
USA
Real Name
Hope
Missy is fully-flighted and loves every second of it. She's a very good flyer and has learned to maneuver well around most of the house (she's restricted from the kitchen. And from the bathroom unless she's showering with me.)
 

Tweet

Jogging around the block
Avenue Veteran
Joined
8/18/13
Messages
600
Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Real Name
Jacklyn
My Sunny is not clipped, although I have thought about it, he relies on his flight a lot it seems. Its a great work out for him, but gets annoying when I walk with him and he decides to take off.
 

Shastasmom

Walking the driveway
Avenue Veteran
Joined
2/28/14
Messages
285
Location
Post Falls, ID
Real Name
Sally
Our large macs are fully flighted and my U2 came clipped and is growing them out. Also, our grey is growing in his
flights. My U2 is also harness trained which I am thinking of trying with my Military Macaw. No way will I try with the Scarlet...probably get my hand torn off :hehe:
As for the banding issue - some states absolutely require bands on birds. Bands normally have the State code on them which can help prove the birds were raised in the US as well. It is also a form of "ID" and I have had airline personnel check and/or ask if the bird had a chip or was banded. And yes, it is for the Breeder's records too and allows them to be able to track one of their birds lineage if anyone calls with their band # and also to look up the hatch dates, etc.
 

StacyMadl

Meeting neighbors
Joined
6/19/14
Messages
74
Location
Newmarket, Ontario
Real Name
Stacy Madl
Niblet is flightend. We adopted him and he was kept in a cage for the majority of his time so he is learning to fly again and is doing an amazing job of it! Spootchies was clipped when we got him however I am going to let his flights grow out and keep him flighened.
 

Anna M

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/28/14
Messages
29
We have two young budgies, not yet moulted. We got them from a pet store, and it appears Tooley's wings were too severely clipped. Some of them are starting to grow, so hopefully he will be able to fly. Whitby, on the other hand, was able to do some flights very early. This past week has been very exciting, as he is suddenly commander of the sky! He is practicing different maneuvers, and so fun to watch. He is even flying to move short distances on the ground. Tooley, from watching Whitby, is trying more and more. I am so glad to find this forum, as we are realizing more and more potential issues with the flight, and hope to forestall injury. I understand why some clip wings, and we might sometime make that choice, but for now I can't imagine it. Seeing Whitby's enjoyment is so wonderful, and Tooley's increasingly improved attempts are admirable. Plus, I envy them that gift, and hope to never deprive them of it.
 

Sarah13

Rollerblading along the road
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Joined
9/30/13
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2,643
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New York City
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Sarah
Yep, my gal Val is flighted. She loves to fly.
:fly2:
Speaking of bands, she is close banded. You can't read the numbers and letters on it though. I'm getting her micro chipped at her next vet visit and will possibly have the band removed. It no longer serves its purpose as means of identification. I get MANY questions about it though when people hold her and notice it on her leg.

IMG_1617.JPG
 
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SnapV

Sprinting down the street
Joined
8/28/13
Messages
531
Location
Qc, Canada
Real Name
Virginie
Yep, my gal Val is flighted. She loves to fly.
:fly2:
Speaking of bands, she is close banded. You can't read the numbers and letters on it though. I'm getting her micro chipped at her next vet visit and will possibly have the band removed. It no longer serves its purpose as means of identification. I get MANY questions about it though when people hold her and notice it on her leg.

View attachment 186954
Since I got T-Rex (who is fully flighted and is getting pretty good at flying :) ) I've been wondering how flighted big macaws manage in a normal home environment with doorways and corridors and such, isn't their wingspan too large to pass through? (sorry if this seems like a silly question but T-Rex is much smaller than a macaw and sometimes he seems to need to squeeze through doorways :p)
 

Sarah13

Rollerblading along the road
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9/30/13
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2,643
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New York City
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Sarah
Since I got T-Rex (who is fully flighted and is getting pretty good at flying :) ) I've been wondering how flighted big macaws manage in a normal home environment with doorways and corridors and such, isn't their wingspan too large to pass through? (sorry if this seems like a silly question but T-Rex is much smaller than a macaw and sometimes he seems to need to squeeze through doorways :p)
Oh no, it is a fabulous question. Thanks for asking! :laughing12:
I actually live in a one bedroom apartment so it's even smaller for Val to maneuver in if she chooses to fly. I don't know how many Mac fids fly as a means of travel in homes so I can't say much for them but for Val, she walks plenty to get from place to place in addition to flying. It just depends where she's going. :)

When she flies through a doorway or small space, she keeps her tail fanned for resistance and some direction, feet stretched downward, and her body upright. Her posture is very similar to that of a hummingbird while hovering. It keeps her speed low so she can turn easily and because her body takes up vertical space instead of horizontal, she has much more room around her giving her ample time to change direction.

In terms of her wingspan, yes, that is problematic. To solve this, when she flies through, she times her wing position so that her wings are pressed against her body or fully extended upwards as to allow room to fly through the narrow doorway/corridor. They come out and down again once she's cleared the constricted area. It takes practice and she was a terrible flyer when I adopted her. I just practiced with her and she eventually got it figured out.

When we're out in a large space with room to fly forward and with some speed, she looks more like your T-Rex I bet when he flies about....her feet are held up and her body is flattened out and facing forward/parallel to the ground.

I hope that answered your question sufficiently! :) Happy flying little T-Rex! :joyful:
:hug8:
 
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SnapV

Sprinting down the street
Joined
8/28/13
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531
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Qc, Canada
Real Name
Virginie
Thanks very much @Sarah13 :) That was a very informative answer!

If you can at some point, I'd love to see a video of Val flying!
 

shanlung

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
10/17/09
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372
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shanlung

Robyn

Jogging around the block
Joined
9/17/14
Messages
892
Real Name
Robyn
I have had both flighted and clipped birds. If a bird is not tame I prefer to clip them not as a way to tame them but as a safety measure. I know when my dad is at work he will be home between a certain time frame and I always have Riley in her cage before he is expected home that way she won't spook and accidently fly out the door. On his days off I never know when he will be home and he has come home a couple times while Riley was out. She has spooked once or twice but flew in a circle back to me. But if I had Speckles long enough to try taming him ( he died 9 days after I bought him cause I didn't know he was sick when I bought him) I know the chance of him flying out the door when my dad came home would be significantly higher if he was left unclipped.
 

Blackshapes

Strolling the yard
Joined
11/12/14
Messages
88
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Real Name
Benjamin
Pom Pom is fully flighted. Recalls and Leaves on command most of the time. All of the time if we are holding a red apple. She also flies to us whenever we go to the fridge, as that's where the nectar and apple crush is.
 
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JAM

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
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12/2/12
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5,670
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Australia
LOL our lorikeets do the same too, fridge = goodies!!!! :lol:
 

Mr Peepers

Cruising the avenue
Joined
10/8/14
Messages
10,461
Location
Canada's Capital
My budgie has always been able to fly anywhere in the den.. recently the new canary has been beginning to fly from his cage to the budgie cage and back. All of my birds have always been free to fly but they are contained to the den only and can't access the other rooms in the house.
 

Doris M

Sprinting down the street
Joined
12/28/14
Messages
333
I think that taking flight from a bird is like taking my hands to prevent me from creating. We've had accidents happen :( But isn't that how we learn? My birds have all been rehomed; it is sad when they've been caged without living to their full potential. At my house we provide as much opportunity for them to become who they truly are as we are capable.
 

Odin

Rollerblading along the road
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1/6/15
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2,157
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Chantal
If a dog chews on things we don't pull their teeth. If a child runs away from where he's supposed to be we don't cut their feet off. I strongly believe if we can't provide what a birds needs to live as naturally as possible, why do we have them? That is our selfishness.

I really don't see any difference. JMHO
[/QUOTE]

This makes sense!
 
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