Flighted vs. Trimmed

[lisazartsi]

Hi friends!

Posting a poll wondering if your bird's flight feathers are grown in or trimmed. I'd love to hear the reasoning for either side and to hear a little bit about your feather babies

My little one (Piña) was trimmed when I got her a couple weeks ago. I'm wondering what the best/safest option for her would be once her feathers grow back in.

Take care

 

[Mizzely]

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.

Should I clip my birds wings?

I know these blog posts have been shared in the forum by @Lady Jane , but I thought a thread with all parts together would be handy. Before clipping your birds wings, please read all 6 parts of the blog by Pamela Clark; Part One: Parrots, Flight, and Humans – Pamela Clark, CPBC Part Two...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[Lady Jane]

If you search the topics here you will find many postings on this subject.

 

[brdfvr]

I like leaving my babies flighted. You definitely have to watch them more closely when opening and closing doors. But I love having them fly to me and see the confidence they gain.

 

[lisazartsi]

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.

Should I clip my birds wings?

I know these blog posts have been shared in the forum by @Lady Jane , but I thought a thread with all parts together would be handy. Before clipping your birds wings, please read all 6 parts of the blog by Pamela Clark; Part One: Parrots, Flight, and Humans – Pamela Clark, CPBC Part Two...

forums.avianavenue.com

I love the metaphor you use - I think that's a great way of explaining what it'd be like for them. I'm wondering if it's reasonably easy to ensure that they stay safe and/or only land in good places when they're flighted?

 

[lisazartsi]

I like leaving my babies flighted. You definitely have to watch them more closely when opening and closing doors. But I love having them fly to me and see the confidence they gain.

That's wonderful! Any issues you've faced from having them flighted? Right now I'm not really seeing much of a reason to ever keep her trimmed.

 

[Mizzely]

I love the metaphor you use - I think that's a great way of explaining what it'd be like for them. I'm wondering if it's reasonably easy to ensure that they stay safe and/or only land in good places when they're flighted?

Definitely! Set up playstands or perches or boings around the house and they usually will naturally gravitate to them

 

[lisazartsi]

Definitely! Set up playstands or perches or boings around the house and they usually will naturally gravitate to them

Great!! I definitely can do that. Thank you for the awesome advice

 

[brdfvr]

That's wonderful! Any issues you've faced from having them flighted? Right now I'm not really seeing much of a reason to ever keep her trimmed.

Only that you can't get away from them. Lol. I have to keep my girl distracted or she follows me everywhere. Lol.

I also make sure to close indoor. doors before opening a door to the outside. Just have do be more aware when entering/ leaving

 

[Feather]

My birds are all flighted. They're not allowed at all into rooms where there are things I can't safely cover, such as doors directly to the outside, ceiling fans, stoves, the cat...

For the spaces they are allowed to be in, I use cheap clear shower curtain liners as baffles to prevent them from flying places they shouldn't - doors, book shelves, open aquariums, etc. Doesn't hurt if they end up flying into one and it really has very little effect on the visual aspect. At the very least, it's a great way to protect a bird who is just learning to fly from hitting any obstacles before he learns the layout and really gets the hang of his wings.

 

[Shezbug]

Both my birds are fully flighted.

 

[Maggiebird]

My birds are flighted I feel like if you clip there wings your taking away the thing that they were meant to do. Not even for things like training or building a bond is a good idea to me!

 

[ParrotNuts]

What should I vote? I have 2 flighted and 1 clipped (he came clipped)

 

[Feather]

What should I vote? I have 2 flighted and 1 clipped (he came clipped)

If you plan on letting him keep his wings when they grow out, then flighted.

 

[AmberC]

1 clipped the rest flighted

 

[elitys]

I'm wondering if it's reasonably easy to ensure that they stay safe and/or only land in good places when they're flighted?

In my experience... nope. Lol. You kind of have to bird proof the entire space they have access to and sometimes it still doesn't work. Setting up places for them to perch and things to play with helps, but sometimes no matter what you do, they're dead set on finding trouble.

Kind of a part of having these animals, though, so you learn to live with it.

 

[Ripshod]

sometimes no matter what you do, they're dead set on finding trouble

I love that, it's so true.
In the past 20 odd years I have never had a bird clipped. I've had a few come to me already clipped (not my choice), and I've let them grow full flights at the next moult. Letting them keep the gift of flight gives you a bird that's a lot happier and much, much more confident.
Yes there are a few genuine reasons to clip a bird, but I haven't seen one here in my time. You opt to have a bird in your home, you have to make that home safe not the bird.

 

[AussieBird]

I never had a clipped bird... Till I got Winston and Emelia. Honestly within a week I just wished they could fly, they were not as confident as they would be if flighted and I didn't know how to deal with a clipped bird. Never do I think I'll clip a bird, but I may end up with a clipped bird again.

 

[ParrotNuts]

Voted flighted
Thanks @Feather

 

[Zara]

I´m pro-flight. The only birds that have been in my home unflighted were unfeathered baby birds.
I´m sure it can be quite hard working out how to keep clipped birds safe until their flights grow back, but you will work it out Lining the floor with yoga matts or blankets, adding ropes and ladders to get around, removing sharp objects (incl. ornaments, covering sharp corners of furniture). Kind of like baby-proofing.
Observe your bird and see what needs adjusting.