purchasing a free flighht experienced bird?

cateyes221981

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Nov 13, 2009
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Toronto, Ontario
Someone is offering me a bird with previous experience in free flight.


Does this mean much? I mean if i were to allow this bird to fly after they bonded with me would it make the process much easier comming back to me or to their cage?
 

MonicaMc

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Is the bird clipped or flighted? By free flight, do they mean inside or outside?

If you don't have experience with free flight, I wouldn't suggest trying free flight without some instruction of how to do so with a bird.

Have you met the bird in person before? Or can you meet the bird in person? And see the kind of training this owner has done with the bird?
 
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cateyes221981

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Nov 13, 2009
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No have not seen it yet, from what I was told the bird or birds were trained since they were born and now will just leave and go out the window and come back on their own, Or from their cages. They were hatched by the person and trained from the start.

So I am not sure if the bird would be any easier to free fly than one that has never had experience in a new setting.
 

MonicaMc

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Sep 12, 2012
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Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
It may make it easier to train them, if the birds trust you. It's certainly easier to work with birds already trained or young birds eager to learn than an adult that has been clipped or is less understanding of being trained. (not to say an adult can't be trained, they just may take more time than a young bird)
 

Birdman666

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Sep 18, 2013
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Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Free flight is an inexact science...

They may leave your place and go looking for their old home and get lost.

Once in the wilds outside, they become a part of the food chain, and are also vulnerable to the human predators... some of whom may decide to keep them for themselves.

There is a lot too this. You need to work with the bird extensively, or you are likely to lose it.

I did this for awhile. One of my birds got hit by a car!!! So... the risks are very real. I have three that are recalled. So, I do know what I am talking about here... It can be dangerous.
 

Featheredsamurai

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That's more like free range than free fly. Very dangerous, and other people may take the bird in thinking it's lost. if you adopted that bird, and wanted to try free flight you'll need to start from the very begging and completely retrain the bird.

Only bird I know who is successfully a free range bird is Amigo the umprella cockatoo.
 

ShellyBorg

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What type of bird is this? I have heard people use the term "free flight" when talking about a birds that is allowed to fly around the house. You need to make sure what exactly this bird is trained for.
 

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