Can an older (15 y/o) parrot learn to fly?

My blue front is about 15 years old (we adopted him 5 years ago, and were told he was roughly 10). We were also told has never been taught to fly (and judging by his prior living conditions, I don't doubt it). Considering we took him in as a rescue situation, and have been living in a smaller apartment since we got him, we have just kept him clipped. He has never made a single attempt to fly, and I really don't know if he understands that his wings "do that".

My parents have had their 3 parrots (2 amazons and a cockatoo) for 40 years, who are all flighted, and have free run of the house all day (except when no ones home or my moms cooking). I grew up with flighted birds, and always enjoyed the welcome surprise of one (or all 3) suddenly appearing in my room. I've been watching them while my parents are out of town, and letting them all out and seeing how beautiful and happy they are to be stretching their wings has got me thinking that my little guy really needs to experience that too. My husband and I will be moving into an actual house after the first of the year, and I'm thinking about letting his flight feathers grow out (he just molted, so they'll be all grown in by then if we don't clip him). I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of it right now. On one hand, I've never really agreed with clipping birds, as they deserve the freedom of flight. On the other hand, I worry about his safety since this would be a entirely new concept, as well as if I would be capable of not just teaching him to fly, but teaching him to return on command if he gets up higher than I can reach (indoors only). He's not proven to be a fast learner, and please don't get me wrong, I love the little guy and he's a sweet as can be, but he just isn't the brightest crayon in the box. I also consider the fact he LOVES coming outdoors in the warm months, and as of now, he can do so outside of his cage, freely exploring whatever is in his reach. He couldn't do that if he was flighted, and that's been one of his favorite things to do since we've had him. I'm also not sure if he can even learn at this age, since he has never done it before, never even tried. Where would I begin? Just looking for some advice from other parrot owners on what you feel would be better (just keeping him clipped or flighting him)? I just want to do what's best for him.

Chico has been unclipped going on 10 months and still is missing six of his flight feathers. It may take more than a few months to grow in all Kiwi's flight feathers. Chico is 25 plus years old and probably has never flown as well. I am confident that Chico will be flying in six months. Look into the Avian Harness. This will allow Kiwi to securely go outside once he is flighted.

Start by building up his breast muscles. Train him to flap his wings on command. Also get him use to putting on the harness.

If he has no wing injuries, it may be possible.

I would suggest teaching flight by starting with the step up. If he steps up reliably, have him stretch his foot out to step up. Repeat. If he has that down pat, then make him use his beak to step up. Repeat. Next, make him hop to step up. Repeat. Hop with a flap. Repeat. Hop with a couple flaps. Repeat. Hop with several flaps. Repeat. Etc!!!!!!

If at any stage he is unsure, then stop, go back a step, and repeat there. Remain at that step until he is comfortable enough to go on to the next step.


Forcing him to flap his wings may be a good idea if he trusts you and he finds the experience fun! But if he isn't very stable and he doesn't enjoy the experience, this can make things worse, not better.

You could also try catching a behavior... such as lifting his wings. If he does it on his own, try to catch that behavior, train him to do that behavior, and get it on cue, you may be able to shape him to the point that he opens his wings, then opens his wings to flap them and go from there.


My cherry headed conure (RIP) never could learn how to fly. He was estimated to be 9-11 years old when I got him, but he could have been older than me. He was previously attacked by a ferret so had bad eyes, had failing kidneys and who knows what else. He flew as good as a tossed ragdoll, and that was with unclipped wings. He tried though, I'll give him that! I 'taught' him to jump to me (although I was over-eager and wasn't aware that I should break the 'training' down into small goals) from a short distance away. He was not strong enough, nor brave enough to try longer distances, especially since his wings could not carry him! It was literally, a leap of faith! Which, scared the crap out of my sister once!!! :18:



I once was able to teach a budgie how to fly again, although it was my fault he lost his ability to fly in the first place. With him, I'd have 2-3 training sessions per day, maybe 3-15 minutes long (however long it took to tire him out!) of where I was gently tossing him onto a bed. After two weeks of this, he went from not being able to get more than a couple of inches off the ground to flying on his own! However, I would not recommend this for an older bird, and especially for a rehomed bird that may not enjoy the experience!

He does "use" his wings, and can flap them, but I just don't think it clicks they can be used for flight as well. He opens them on his own, I think as some sort of display of affection or aggression (depending on the person lol). He hates the mailman, and every time he walks past the window, he'll crouch down, open his wings and hiss. But when my husbands gets home (his favorite person) he will get all fluffy and spread his wings and give some happy grunts/whistles. He also extends them when hes getting a bath. And while I've never seen him flap his wings on his own, if we hold his feet and "run" him around the room he'll flap them. We do this almost daily, because I don't want them to atrophy, but once he's off our hands and away from the motion of us "pulling" him forward, he won't say, sit on his cage and flap his wings by himself. I've also seen him "leap" in fear a handful of times, and he drops like a rock. The wings barely open, which is why I don't think he understands what they are suppose to do. I would be scared to give him a running start and then let his little feet go that he would crash into something, and I don't know how else I would start with him to get the wings open and flapping and help him make the connection he should keep doing that once my hands no longer there.

MonicaMc said:

Forcing him to flap his wings may be a good idea if he trusts you and he finds the experience fun! But if he isn't very stable and he doesn't enjoy the experience, this can make things worse, not better.

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You might try the following if he trusts you or this could be a way to build even more trust. I discovered this by accident while out on a walk. It was a slightly windy day. Chico was in his harness and I was holding him up which is his cue to flap his wings. Before we both realized it, Chico was up in the air two feet above my hand and then returned to my hand very gently. Now we do this regularly. If I hold him up I will just let him flap his wings to exercise them. If he gets lazy then I unhook his toes and give him a toss straight up in the air a foot or two. He will flap and return back to my hand. In this way I am earning his trust that my hand will be there to break his fall. Maybe you can start by holding up Kiwi and slightly unbalance him. All birds will flap their wings at this point. Give him lots of love, praise and a treat for flapping his wings. You will get to the point where he will flap away when held over head. Then try tossing him up an inch or two and build on that.

Work slowly. You have plenty of time before he is ready for fly.

I've been trying to stay out of this discussion . But older birds can learn to fly. They just seem to get into more trouble. In retrospect i would have taught my pets to fly at an earlier age. Flying is healthy and even an older bird can beneifit from learning to fly. But it's like an old man and sex, you can over do it ,and moderation is best. Baby steps and don't let an older zon over exert it's self.

henpecked said:

.... But it's like an old man and sex, you can over do it ,and moderation is best. Baby steps and don't let an older zon over exert it's self.

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ROFLMAO

Well, i was trying to find a good comparison. Sorry about that, but it's relative when your my age,LOL. I only get "lucky' when i'm gone for a while.

Not only is my monitor now covered in soda, but I'm sitting here laughing SO hard my birds downstairs are chiming in.

(PS. henpecked, your inbox is full )

Yeah that happens all the time. I'll delete some of the older ones, sorry.

It is very scary to watch an unflighted adult bird learn to fly. At first they only go a few feet, then farther. When they get a little confidence, they get themselves in trouble - flying toward something & not able to steer away. Sometimes, they just stop flapping their wings & fall to the ground, or try to land on something (and forget to reach with their feet & grab whatever it is). Or fail to negotiate turns or notice walls.

Our 20 y.o. greenwing, who has only lived here just since January, flew twice the other day. His prior owner - who picked him as an egg and owned him until last January, warned us that Goose could fly, he just chose not to. Until last week.

But we have had several unflighted adults figure out how to fly and they seem both joyous and more confident for the experience. [Apparently, I worry more than they do.]