Can Someone Help Me with The Dyanmics of Flight??

[suncoast]

I know the more feathers you clip the more you reduce their capacity for flight, but what about how short they're clipped?

In other words does shorter feathers = less flight?

Ginger

 

[JLcribber]

I would sure think so. Less wing area is less wing area. The further you cut a feather the more chance of cutting into a living portion of it instead of the ends where there is no feeling. The feathers near the end of the wing have more lift and speed than the feathers closer to the body so clipping the ones nearer the body would be less effective IMO. Cutting the end feathers will have more effect on reducing flight.

 

[jmfleish]

Ginger,

Cockatoos are tricky because they are so light, especially the little ones. If you really want to slow Truely down, make sure not to get the "show clip", ie, don't let them convince you that she'll be prettier if you leave the first flight or the first and second flight and just cut two or three of the next ones. That will not stop her one iota, especially if she's a good flier. If you've never clipped a feather before and you're going to go to the vet, have them show you how to do it because then you can do it on your own later on. It's very easy to do, especially on a white bird.

If you look at Truely's flights, you might notice that she has some blood feathers growing in. As long as you don't cut at the blood line, you'll be fine. Generally, people who trim wings will clip a few inches off of each flight and you can start gradually with the first or first and second flights on each wing and see if that will get the desired "stop" you are looking for. If not, you can go one more flight.

There are all sorts of diagrams on the internet, but it's fairly easy to do and yes, the closer to the body you clip, the more likely it will effect the flying ability. Obviously, you don't want to cut the feather right at the base...but I'm assuming you already figured that one out!

 

[Bokkapooh]

Whenevr I HAVE clipped, I clip 2-4 feathers only, no matter what the size of bird. And I always clip SHORT so they dont rub up against the body and cause irritation. I typically clip lower than the covert feathers on a bird.

This style provides flight still, as you left many of the feathers alone, but it provide CONTROLLED FLIGHT. As the bird can beam around the room over your heads and "out of control" if that makes sense

 

[Bokkapooh]

make sure not to get the "show clip", ie, don't let them convince you that she'll be prettier if you leave the first flight or the first and second flight and just cut two or three of the next ones.

Oh yeah, never get a show clip..

I have seen my birds molt their middle primaries and secondaries, and sometimes leaving a bit of a gap(you can seethis in wild birds too) and they can still fly.

 

[Sharpie]

I would sure think so. Less wing area is less wing area. The further you cut a feather the more chance of cutting into a living portion of it instead of the ends where there is no feeling. The feathers near the end of the wing have more lift and speed than the feathers closer to the body so clipping the ones nearer the body would be less effective IMO. Cutting the end feathers will have more effect on reducing flight.

IMO, NO feather should ever be clipped unless the bird is restrained (physically or training) enough to inspect the entire feather, including the base of the quill, to ensure it is entirely mature.

Flight and lift is about surface area and position. The feathers nearer the wingtip provide most of the surface area for the birds wing and are generally the longest and strongest, they also provide most of the 'forward' component of flight. The closer to the body you clip a feather the more of the surface area you remove, so the more you hamper normal flight. Clipping the outer feathers has a greater effect than the inner ones.

For example, budgies can fly with very little lift. To clip Sand so that he cannot gain lift I can either clip 7-8 feathers even with the coverts or clip the 3-4 outermost feathers underneath the coverts directly where they exit the wing (which requires more a bit more skill in restraint and clipping). Either way I've removed about the same surface area. In a larger bird, clipping that much surface area would probably cause them to fall like a rock. To 'trim' (not clip, but make flying a bit more work) my budgies I leave the outer two feathers and cut the next three right where they exit the wing. It's still three feathers, but the position and size difference is enough that they can still fly, get lift, turn and land. They just have to flap more and harder. It's essentially what would be a 'show/cosmetic clip' on a larger bird.

 

[JLcribber]

Well I don't believe in clipping at all but that's another thread.

When the feathers are cut properly the cut is done at an angle so the pointy end of the cut feather is facing outward and away from the body to minimize irritation. A feather that is cut off square has a blunt edge on all sides that can irritate the bird when the wings are held against the body.

 

[Stevo]

To answer your question Ginger; Yes, more feather off (shorter) = less lift. Conversely, you can take less off more to achieve a neater and less annoying clip for some birds.

 

[suncoast]

Thanks for the information. I just don't think I can do it though. Craig made a T-Perch yesterday and we are going to try some other behaviorial (human, not bird) things to get through this without clipping. It will be done as a last resort.

Ginger

 

[jmfleish]

I would never suggest trying to clip a bird's flights very close to the body. As John pointed out, an improper cut can lead to irritation and feather destruction and there is no point to cutting a flight feather any further down the shaft than where it will lay equal to the rest of the feathers. I don't know how to give you a better description of how far down to cut a flight feather.

As for the show clips and leaving the first or first and second flight in tact so it looks good, I will tell you from definite experience that this will not slow a Cockatoo down and it is done more for the human than for the bird. While dynamics in theory is something to consider, in practice, those first flights make a huge difference, especially to a determined bird.

But, since you have decided to only clip as a last resort for now Ginger, good luck. I think that Kristy had mentioned it earlier, but also trying to get Craig to really work with Truely will probably help right now too. Cockatoos will take advantage of a situation as long as they see that they can. Craig has to set the rules down too or Truely will continue to manipulate the situation simply because it's fun! I have a little white puffball at home just like that.

 

[Bokkapooh]

I would never suggest trying to clip a bird's flights very close to the body.

May I ask why not? When I have to clip, I prefer to clip as close to the covert feathers as possible.

So when a bird opens its wings, you cannot see a clip, but the first 2-4 covert feathers an then the rest of the flight feathers. I have always found that this style of clip is affective and causes no irritation.