More observations here!
I'm trying to break these up so that they don't seem like one long boring post.
I saw a lot of confusion about clipping versus trimming. Personally, I don't do either, so I'm not an expert but it is my understanding that any good clip/trim is only supposed to stop a bird from getting height. It isn't supposed to stop them from actually flying. At the very least, they should be able to glide and glide well. Anything less would be considered a bad clip in my mind and could cause a broken keel bone, broken beak, or worse.
Now, the mantra in the US and probably Canada has always been clip, clip, clip! Your bird is safer that way. I'm not going to tell you that clipping is bad or that you shouldn't clip your bird because it isn't my choice but I do want everyone to seriously think about why they are clipping and that's why I think that these discussions are important.
One, I think that we have established that a clip is not supposed to ground your bird so I'm going to implore everyone, please do not take any bird outside, clipped or not, without a harness or in a carrier, unless you've seriously trained that bird for free flight (that is flight outside, unrestrained). Sooner or later, you will lose your bird, it's inevetible. Clipped birds can and do fly and can go miles in a good wind and once they fall, they generally can't get back in the air.
Two, what is a clip saving your bird from? Ok, I'll give you the fact that your bird might not get out the door as easily as my flighted birds can but the reality of the situation is this. Clipping gives the owner a false sense of security. If you aren't completely diligent with keeping up with that clip, you may not realize that it has grown out and you might have a more fully flighted bird than you think you do. Me, I know my bird is fully flighted all the time and I never take that for granted, so I'm always careful. Also, should my fully flighted bird actually get out, he's not defenseless, not only can he fly, but he can fly well and he's been somewhat recall trained. A clipped bird who gets out is only going to go so far, but that could be a really long way and then that bird could be in big trouble. Personally, I think a flighted bird has a better chance of surviving outside than a clipped bird, but that's just my opinion.
What are some other reasons for clipping a bird. I've heard boiling pots of water...easy solution to that, put your bird in its cage when you cook. Ceiling fans...don't use them when your bird is out. Toilets...I not only keep the seat down, but I keep the door to the bathroom closed too...otherwise those pesky birds go in there and chew up my shower curtain! Those maniacs!
What else is there? Electrical cords...well, that's a no brainer, don't you think a clipped bird is more apt to chew on those than a flighted bird?
Doors? If I'm going in or out, birds in their cage. Windows and mirrors? Once they learned to fly and fly well (took a good year for all of them mind you), this was no longer an issue. Cats and dogs...well, I don't know that I would trust a dog, but my cats are terrified of my birds!
Birds with other birds? Well, we've had some scuffles and yes, one certain little grey bird is no longer allowed out when the Ekkies are out, but other than that, we've done well.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that most of the problems work themselves out and for the health, mental and physical, of my feathered brats, it's well worth it. For me, I'll never clip again and why did I post all of this? To get everyone to just re-evaluate once again and think about where you are!
