Emma will remain fully flighted.

Ashley · 6/14/10

You are a great mom

southernbirds · 6/14/10

I think the explanation you gave was appropriate for you and Emma. You truly expressed what everyone worries about and that being said, I must respect your decision. For many people, clipping is the right thing for their circumstances so I am glad you gave a view from both sides of the aisle. Again...congratulations to you and Emma showing grace under pressure!!!!

Welshanne · 6/15/10

My sentiments exactly, all our five are fully flighted and always will be in our lifetime. They stay the way God made them.
A dear friend a few years ago after walking around in his back yard from back door to his office etc with his Grey on his shoulder for many years, lost her. She was startled by a loud bang and took off. Lucy was clipped and was found some weeks later dead on a nearby farm.

Had she been fully flighted would she have survived? We will never know.
Even clipped, they can be picked up by a thermal of warm air and travel many miles. So happy with your well thought out decision.

Prince Toasty Buns · 6/15/10

Welshanne said:
My sentiments exactly, all our five are fully flighted and always will be in our lifetime. They stay the way God made them.
A dear friend a few years ago after walking around in his back yard from back door to his office etc with his Grey on his shoulder for many years, lost her. She was startled by a loud bang and took off. Lucy was clipped and was found some weeks later dead on a nearby farm. Had she been fully flighted would she have survived? We will never know.
Even clipped, they can be picked up by a thermal of warm air and travel many miles. So happy with your well thought out decision.

So very very sad to read that about poor lil Lucy. She probably was perching right above or very near where her body was found, waiting helplessly but hopefully for someone to hurry up & come find her and take her home.

IMO, the answer to your question "Had she been fully flighted would she have survived", would most likely have been yes. At least common sense should tell everyone that the odds of survival in that situation would have been far far greater if she was NOT clipped. We may not be able to protect them/our fids from every possible accident but we surely should do everything we can to increase their odds of survival in every situation that we can possibly think of (to include safe or safer everyday existence in each of our homes).

Thanks for posting that, maybe your posting will sway some future reader of this thread to not clip but rather take all safety precautions needed to make sure that type of tragedy never happens to one of their own flock members. And hopefully if one of our birds still happens to escape, for whatever reason, I pray that we will constantly keep searching until he/she is found or at the very least until the number of days that a bird cannot exist any longer without food or water has passed.

Billie Faye · 6/15/10

I also am glad to read this!
Now I have another suggestion.
We ALL need to learn about the trees/bushes/plants in our areas that are GOOD to eat for our birds and start intruducing these foods to our birds so they will KNOW what is good to eat IF they do escape. Remember we are their teachers and if a bird doesn't know what foods are, they won't try them....so teaching your bird about berries/tree brances/flowers (buds/leaves) will give them a better chance....JMHO :hug8:

jmfleish · 6/15/10

Birdlover said:
I am so happy to read this In addition to her being fully flighted though, you've also raised her to be comfortable around people and she saw even strangers as a way to get help. I think that went a long way in her coming home too

I think this is what will stick out in my mind from the "Emma Incident" more than anything else too. It's really made me think about how I can be even safer with my flighted birds and I always thought I was pretty safe but it also made me question whether or not my birds would ever seek out humans should they get out and my answer was pretty much no, unfortunately. Well, Tuchis would probably eventually go to anyone with a fast food bag, but the others, I'm not so sure. I think that Emma's tale was an amazing one and one that I've learned a great deal from. I'd love to find out how Saemma did to make Emma so loving of other people. My guys don't not like people, but I don't know that they would seek people out either...just a lot of thought provoking ideas reeling through my head throughout this whole ordeal of Saemma's and Emma's!

I'm so glad she was able and willing to share it with us all.

drop · 6/15/10

Billie Faye said:
I also am glad to read this!
Now I have another suggestion.
We ALL need to learn about the trees/bushes/plants in our areas that are GOOD to eat for our birds and start intruducing these foods to our birds so they will KNOW what is good to eat IF they do escape. Remember we are their teachers and if a bird doesn't know what foods are, they won't try them....so teaching your bird about berries/tree brances/flowers (buds/leaves) will give them a better chance....JMHO

I think that sounds like a very good idea.

Allessa · 6/15/10

Im so glad you are letting her stay fully flighted. I think that is the most important thing about being a bird. Imagine having such beautiful wings to fly and not being able to use them!

My parents can never understand how all of my birds are flighted and that i let them stay that way. They are so much happier, who am i to tell them they cant fly? People seem to think that clipping prevents them from flying away. Truth be told, even clipped a bird can still fly...and now thats its out..its completely screwed against predators and such. (At least thats the way i see it)

Im so happy that you got her back

Saemma · 6/15/10

Billie Faye said:
I also am glad to read this!
Now I have another suggestion.
We ALL need to learn about the trees/bushes/plants in our areas that are GOOD to eat for our birds and start intruducing these foods to our birds so they will KNOW what is good to eat IF they do escape. Remember we are their teachers and if a bird doesn't know what foods are, they won't try them....so teaching your bird about berries/tree brances/flowers (buds/leaves) will give them a better chance....JMHO

Excellent Idea Billy Faye.. :hug8:

but I would need a course on that as well!

Saemma · 6/15/10

jmfleish said:
I think this is what will stick out in my mind from the "Emma Incident" more than anything else too. It's really made me think about how I can be even safer with my flighted birds and I always thought I was pretty safe but it also made me question whether or not my birds would ever seek out humans should they get out and my answer was pretty much no, unfortunately. Well, Tuchis would probably eventually go to anyone with a fast food bag, but the others, I'm not so sure. I think that Emma's tale was an amazing one and one that I've learned a great deal from. I'd love to find out how Saemma did to make Emma so loving of other people. My guys don't not like people, but I don't know that they would seek people out either...just a lot of thought provoking ideas reeling through my head throughout this whole ordeal of Saemma's and Emma's! I'm so glad she was able and willing to share it with us all.

Thank you Jen, I will reflect a bit about this.. and post back a bit later.

Big.Green.Chicken · 6/15/10

I am so happy Emma is doing well

Saemma · 6/15/10

jmfleish said:
I think that Emma's tale was an amazing one and one that I've learned a great deal from. I'd love to find out how Saemma did to make Emma so loving of other people. My guys don't not like people, but I don't know that they would seek people out either...just a lot of thought provoking ideas reeling through my head throughout this whole ordeal of Saemma's and Emma's! I'm so glad she was able and willing to share it with us all.

Hi Jen, Emma has never been a single parrot in my home therefore, she's always had to share me. From a very early age, I've travelled around with her in her adventure pack so she can meet different people and experience different environments. From the start, I've been mindful about providing a dependable routine but also including *change*. I've always been concerned about having a parrot who was too structured or rigid.
When people come over, I always personally introduce her to them and in public I do the same. Emma's never been mistreated by anyone in her life therefore she is quite trusting and very patient with people. I do believe that parrots are able to size people up very quickly and I do believe that in the outdoors, she was very selective about who approached.
When Emma flew to perch on the shoulder of the first little boy, she actually chose someone who has the same nationality as me. I was extremely stunned when I found this out. I suppose she chose him because he seemed the most familiar to him. The more I get to know Emma, the more I am amazed by how intelligent she is. :heart:

birdlvr466 · 6/15/10

Wow Saemma this story just gets more interesting, not that us parrot people dispute how intelligent they are. I would love to have an animal communicator talk to Emma about her adventure to see what she would say about it.

Saemma · 6/15/10

birdlvr466 said:
Wow Saemma this story just gets more interesting, not that us parrot people dispute how intelligent they are. I would love to have an animal communicator talk to Emma about her adventure to see what she would say about it.

I really get the impression that Emma wasn't really stressed out during her adventure. Probably just hungry and a bit cold. :rofl:

How exactly does an *animal communicator* work?
I guess I would need to find one who lives close by?

Thugluvgrl187 · 6/15/10

That is great! I am glad to hear it. I know that she will be happy.

birdlvr466 · 6/15/10

Saemma said:
I really get the impression that Emma wasn't really stressed out during her adventure. Probably just hungry and a bit cold.

How exactly does an *animal communicator* work?
I guess I would need to find one who lives close by?

AC's communicate telepathically, they dont need to be with the animal. Saemma, PM me if you would like more information

Saemma · 6/15/10

Thanks Pat. I will reflect upon this. :hug8:

southernbirds · 6/15/10

I would only use someone who doesn't know the story and then you can be sure you will get the right info. It seems that you know Emma better than anyone. If someone already knows what happened what are you going to learn? They can tell you anything. JMO

southernbirds · 6/15/10

Good luck with whatever you do.

Vega · 6/28/10

Thank you for this post, it helps me feel more at ease about my own thoughts of keeping Harvey flighted.

Emma will remain fully flighted.

Rollerblading along the road

Rollerblading along the road

Ripping up the road

Jogging around the block

Biking along the boulevard

Cruising the avenue

Rollerblading along the road

Rollerblading along the road

Ripping up the road

Ripping up the road

Rollerblading along the road

Ripping up the road

Hit the Road

Ripping up the road

Joyriding the Neighborhood

Hit the Road

Ripping up the road

Rollerblading along the road

Rollerblading along the road

Rollerblading along the road