I have a couple of questions regarding flying

[newf]

Skittles has finally starting to fly around the house, which we think is great, but I have some questions and concerns about him. From what I have been told, Skittles hasn't flown in years due to his previous owners keeping him caged up, and because of his plucking. He has made a couple of good flights from his cage to the kitchen, but the other night he really got me worried. We had the bifold doors to our bedroom closed except for about a two inch gap. Hubby and I were in the bedroom making the bed, and as I turned around, I heard a loud crash and I saw Skittles head about four feet up come through the gap of the doors, and then I see his head fall to the floor. He had flown right into the doors. He is ok, but he really freaked me out. I thought he had for sure broke his neck. I spent all night getting up and checking on him to make sure he was ok.

I guess my question to those of you that have flighted birds is this. Is this type of thing normal? He also crashed into hubby's side the the other day while he was in the kitchen. It's almost like he can't judge when to stop.

I know that birds do fly and crash into things, but this door thing really scared me and made me concerned for him. I really don't want him breaking his neck trying to fly into the bedroom. I guess I really just want some feedback to help me not to be so worried that it might be something else with him like bad eyesight or something. I highly doubt his eyesight is bad because he sees things on the floor that I can't even see. Maybe it's all just inexperience in flying. I don't know.

 

[saroj12]

i'm not very helpful, mine are confined to two rooms basically. In the beginning they did run into walls but they learned quickly though we had one serious incident. I'm sure other folks with run-of-the-house birds will come along with more relevant input

 

[love4birds]

It can take an adult bird a long time to learn to fly properly. Especially if they haven't flown in a long time (or ever). They need to learn just like a baby bird needs to learn.

Does he have all of his flight feathers? That affects their flying as well. Even if they're missing just a few flight feathers, they can't manoeuvre nearly as well as a bird with all its flights.

Chewy's been flighted for close to two years and she still isn't a great flyer. But due to her hating the rest of my family, we can't really do a whole lot of "real" flight practice in the open main floor of the house. During the summer I take her outside on her Aviator harness, but in the winter months most of her flying is in my bedroom, just short flights from me to her playgym and vice versa. So because of the lack of practice, she's not great at manoeuvring through doorways or around corners, etc. On the plus side, she's gotten great at landing in the past couple months! All flight skills really just take time and practice.

I'm glad Skittles is okay, btw, that had to be scary!

 

[CosmoKramer]

Since he hasnt flown for awhile it will take him time but he will get the hang of it. Take him to a "safe zone" like a hallway where there arent many windows or object for him to fly into. Have him fly back and forth between you and hubby. When Yoshi first got her flights she hit lots of things, but after a couple of weeks she become a great flyer and followed me all over the house with ease. After her most recent clip she started zipping around the room with only 2 flight feathers grown out!

 

[JLcribber]

As with anything, practise makes perfect and she needs to practise.

It's important to provide landing stations (up high) at the ends of all natural flight paths so they have a definite end point to their flights and something they can focus on and learn it's location. This also helps to keep them from landing on things you don't want them landing on. Once they're excellent flyers they will land other places of course if they feel like it but they will naturally gravitate to those landing stations especially if they are positioned properly so it's natural for them to go there. This will reduce accidents.

You basically need a place for then to target in every place/room that they are going to follow you to or come looking for you.

Doors and doorways are a big consideration. You need to get in the habit of keeping doors the same. Doors that are always open need to stay open and doors that are always closed need to stay closed so they can learn that too. Suddenly closing a door that is always open that you know a bird always follows you through is a tragedy in the making.

Having a fully flighted, free to fly anywhere in the house bird means providing the proper environment to do it.

Those landing stations that don't change are "very" important. In the case where a bird is startled for whatever reason and suddenly takes flight it will have a "known" place where it can go.

Landing stations need to be "sturdy" to be landed on and higher up so they can use their natural "braking" abilty by flying "up" to it. Flying down and landing is one of the most difficult flight skills for a bird to learn.

Visually disguising windows with decals or tape to simulate bars or beaded curtains or shears is also important until they learn to stay away from windows.

Once they learn their environment and have their spots they very rarely if ever crash unless they are startled and scared.

 

[Sharpie]

As with anything, practise makes perfect and she needs to practise. ... Once they learn their environment and have their spots they very rarely if ever crash unless they are startled and scared.

What he said! Give it time.

 

[Vega]

My first thought was "Is Skitttles the ekkie?" I've read them being referred to as flying bricks. One of the reasons I allowed Gypsy to become flighted was to learn how to land. Her landing skills consisted of flying into something hard and sliding down it to the floor. Doors, walls, windows, mirrors...you name it, she flew smack into it.

I started working with her flight skills by standing just a foot or two from her cage and having her use that as her landing spot. She eventually found other spots. 1 in the kitchen is the window sill. Sometimes she misses her target and ends up hanging onto the mini-blinds instead. Her other landing spot is the bathroom. Its the same direction as the kitchen, only off to the side. She lands on the shower curtain rod. Those are the only places safe for her to fly to.

She isn't like my conure, who zips all around the house. She doesn't look to be able to maneuver turns and if I move her cage even slightly it throws off her entire flight pattern.

 

[zoomama]

wow...great info John. I never thought of landing stations, but it makes so much sense, now that you've said it. thanks!

 

[newf]

Thank you everyone for your input. We will definitely use the information, and be more aware of doors and such now.

 

[FeatheredPitbull]

All three of our parrots have been learning to fly since they came here. In the beginning I had considered clipping wings, but decided against it when I saw our grey trying to fly for the first time around the room with the grace of a B-52 bomber. I realised for her safety, she needed her full wings. That being said, the Grey, the Amazon and the Pionus have all learned to fly. We are still working on the landings. I am happy to report the crash landings are getting fewer and fewer. The Pionus has finally learned to put out the landing gear BEFORE landing. The Grey still likes to fly to the kitchen and land hanging upside down on my bakers rack, and the Amazon is good if he has either a cage or your arm/shoulder to land on. It's a work in progress for them all.

The landing station idea is great!!!!

 

[patagonian]

I guess i"m lucky..my patagonian flys all over the place can turn on a dime and flys up the basement stairs back up into the living room through the bathroom up stairs to the bedrooms he is all over the place.....and has never ran into anything....very prolific flyer

 

[Lara Joseph]

When my birds began flying, I made a conscience effort in knowing where they were at all times when they were out of their cage.

One great thing I could provide them was small and frequent training sessions. Training sessions with all of the birds I work with are usually about 1-4 minutes a piece. With Rico, my Umbrella, I began practicing his landing skills before I began practicing his flight skills. I did this and continue to do this with Rocky, my Moluccan Cockatoo also. I'd ask them to make small flights to me or to the ground and rewarded them every single time. When rewarding them and making it safe for them, they look forward to it and practice it more.

I have plenty of videos showing how I practiced this with both cockatoos. I should pull them out and post them.

I've heard and I can see, that it is harder for a bird to fly down than it is to fly up or across. One area where I helped them practice their landing was on the bed. It provided a nice cushy landing spot and I have videos of Rico flapping his wings as hard as he could testing his wings and lift. It's hilarious. They both liked to hop and jump and flap those wings.

It really is gorgeous to see these two flying and maneuvering their wings.