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Clipping wings

Jdu

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Hi, I was wondering how many people clip their birds wings but couldn't find anything on line. Can you please fill out this survey about this if you have the time. It's just a yea or no question btw.

 

Shezbug

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No clipped birds at my house.
 

flyzipper

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Welcome to the forum!

What's the purpose of the question? Are you trying to decide what to do for yours? Writing a research paper?

A quote I like very much...

“You’re neither right nor wrong because other people agree with you. You’re right because your facts are right and your reasoning is right – that’s the only thing that makes you right. And if your facts and reasoning are right, you don’t have to worry about anybody else.” -- Warren Buffett.
 

Hankmacaw

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It is never wise to clip bird's wings other than in the case if illness or if it is persistently attacking you.

Their health including circulation, heart and lungs is highly dependent on whether they can fly or not. Also not being able to fly leads to obesity which has a whole another set of health problems

I have had flighted macaws for 25 years.
 

rocky'smom

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Nope
 

Mizzely

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We have this poll here:

 

Pixiebeak

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I have six flighted birds. In 20 years I've never had a reason to clip any..

But there could be reasons I would. One I can think of is I was moving across country/ out of country requiring quarantine.
 

taxidermynerd

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In the six years I've owned birds, I have only had clipped birds twice. The first was Chirp, who was clipped before I knew better. The second was with Jade, who was clipped by the store after fledging but before coming home.

After I learned about why birds shouldn't be clipped, I let Chirp’s wings grow out and he remained that way until his death. He became a very proficient flyer.

Jade was clipped as a part of store policy. Once she came home, she molted out the cut flights within a few months, and has remained fully flighted since.
 

Wally&Eva

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I had an Alexandrine parrot and previous owners had clipped her wings. She had some issues before she got to us such as cage aggression and plucking. She was in the process of growing out her wings. We didn’t realize she had full flight. Our mistake. We took her out and just like everyone here says, a small noise spooked her into a tree. Not too tall but she couldn’t get down because of the clip and looked panicked. We tried to use a branch for her to step up which she is used to but it just scared her more and she took off! We searched for her through the night with flashlights. I hadn’t bonded with her, but my ex had, and he was especially devastated. Three days later, someone replied to our flyer. Some government town workers had found Harry walking around behind the PepsiCo building. When we picked him up, he was so disheveled and looked like he hadn’t slept the whole time. He looked so happy to be home. Thank god it ended that way!
 

AngyBenji

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Why shouldn't they be clipped? I was told by multiple people to have them clipped but if it's harmful then I don't wanna put my bird through that.
 

Tyrion

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Nope no clipped birds at my house ;)
 

Mizzely

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Why shouldn't they be clipped? I was told by multiple people to have them clipped but if it's harmful then I don't wanna put my bird through that.
Every part of a bird is built around flight, from feathers, to how they breathe, to their bones.

Clipping birds is akin to walking around with your shoelaces tied together. Sure, you can manage, but it's pretty inconvenient, and you certainly can't run for cardio to keep your heart healthy that way!

We already take away so many aspects of their life - mates, true foraging, flying miles a day, socializing with a flock of their kind - that it seems cruel to take away flight too.

Philosophy aside, birds who are clipped have increased risk for heart diseases, and behavioral issues like screaming and feather plucking.
 

Wally&Eva

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Why shouldn't they be clipped? I was told by multiple people to have them clipped but if it's harmful then I don't wanna put my bird through that.
My understanding is that clipped birds who happen to fly away, can’t get down. I’m sure there is a reason why, and someone can explain it further. I do know from experience that my full flighted birds never had a problem, they flew up, down, helicoptered. But Harry looked panicked like he couldn’t get down and he tried but the clipped wings on top of the lack of confidence, it was hard to see her frantic.
 

Mizzely

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My understanding is that clipped birds who happen to fly away, can’t get down. I’m sure there is a reason why, and someone can explain it further. I do know from experience that my full flighted birds never had a problem, they flew up, down, helicoptered. But Harry looked panicked like he couldn’t get down and he tried but the clipped wings on top of the lack of confidence, it was hard to see her frantic.
The theory is that flying down is a learned skill. It takes more work to fly down than it does to fly up. So when birds who are not accustomed to practicing flying get loose, it is very easy to get up high. It is much harder for them to get down.

The alternative of course is simply that down = danger. Up high they can see farther and feel safer, so encouraging them to leave that safety, even to go to an owner they love, can be very hard.
 

Wally&Eva

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The theory is that flying down is a learned skill. It takes more work to fly down than it does to fly up. So when birds who are not accustomed to practicing flying get loose, it is very easy to get up high. It is much harder for them to get down.

The alternative of course is simply that down = danger. Up high they can see farther and feel safer, so encouraging them to leave that safety, even to go to an owner they love, can be very hard.
Thank you! Harry was crying and pacing and looking like he might jump down, but couldn’t seem to take the leap, for whatever reason. I remember thinking, this is beyond just fear, I don’t think she CAN get down.
 
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