Best Crash Course for Keeping a Flighted Parrot

Ladyhawk

New member
Apr 30, 2017
489
18
Parrots
Kizzy - (most likely) female blue-fronted Amazon, hatched on May 1, 2017; Gabby - Male double yellowheaded Amazon, hatched, April 1, 1986; died February 22, 2017
Edited for clarification: This would be INSIDE ONLY! I'm too chicken to free-flight a bird.

Back when I got Gabby thirty years ago, the prevailing wisdom was to keep birds clipped at all times, not only for their safety, but to keep them manageable. I'm wondering if Amazons are even good candidates for flightedness due to their tendency to express their independence. That's the nice way to put it. :)

I have read and watched a little here and there, but I was wondering if someone would be so kind as to suggest the very best articles and videos on this subject.

I'd also like to learn a bit about target training. It wasn't mainstream back in the day, but I see how it could be useful.

While training Gabby, I always used the bridge word, "Good!" because I figured I wouldn't always have a clicker handy if he did something I liked. I'm still inclined to do this instead of using a clicker. It worked well for Gabby. He learned quickly what I liked and would go out of his way to do it to get a reward.

In the end, I may decide against a flighted blue front, but I want to carefully consider all opinions before making such a decision. My little one is only four weeks old, but considering how fast baby parrots grow and fledge, I'd better start studying.

Thanks in advance. :green:
 
Last edited:

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,646
10,008
Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
I am assuming that you are monitoring the Threads in the Amazon Forum and more specifically that Thread by KiwiBird regarding flight training an older Amazons.

My background is with older Amazons and process of recovering /strengthening dormant chest muscles, reawakening the mind and body of that Amazon to process of flight.

You are simply releasing the pre-wired fledging baby Parrot to do what they are created to do - to fly. The majority of that process is to keep the parrot at lower levels, which reduces falls from great heights! The combination of small body, and slower speeds come together to keep them somewhat safe from the dangers of early flight. Remember, that most all Birds of the wild, their first flight is from height!
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
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.)
Read the "I just lost Maggie post..."

Sorry. My whole point of view has been altered by this.
 

Kiwibird

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2012
9,539
111
Parrots
1 BFA- Kiwi. Hatch circa 98', forever home with us Dec. 08'
I have never really been around baby birds, but I'm sure some of our experienced breeders who fledge their babies will have some tips for you specific to fledging a baby:) My parents raised a green cheek amazon and cockatoo from a little older than your baby, closer to weaning and fledging I think. Apparently, learning flight was a pretty natural process and not much needed to be done to "teach" them. The cockatoo was clipped for a couple years when I was a toddler because he attacked my face, but beyond that brief few years, they've all been fully flighted their whole lives. The GCA just passed away last year, after his second stroke but the other 2 are still strong and healthy and still both fly daily. Their wild caught DYH was an adult bird when imported and learned to fly in nature. Developmentally a parrot is suppose to start learning to fly at a certain stage of development and are instinctually driven to do so.

I am personally taking Mark's (Birdman666) advice with Kiwi and giving him a clip that will allow him to fly a little but not give him full flight capabilities. In my other post, he said to clip in a few primaries and clip the feathers on one wing slightly more than the other wing to keep them low and slow. I am also taking Steven's (Sailboat) advice on working with specific flight paths with Kiwi and have the advantage of him doing that flapping thing on my hand. Lastly, after many years of enjoying the outdoors freely, Kiwi is being harness trained. Lets just say I think getting your new baby used to a harness as soon as she is fully feathered will be MUCH easier than waiting until she's older. Kiwi is unamused with the whole concept of wearing his harness and it is slow going teaching him. You have such an advantage having such a young bird who has no concept of what is or isn't normal yet and is just waiting to learn! Given Kiwi's age, I expect a long process and that it is unlikely he will ever have the skill a bird who fledged at the appropriate age would. I bet if you flight that baby, she will master flight in no time.

Remember, that most all Birds of the wild, their first flight is from height!

Sailboat makes an interesting point here. Kiwi, at 17 years old, over 7 years in our care had NEVER shown an interest in flight despite me having tried teaching him several times. We always lived in small, single level apartments with nothing much higher than the top of a door or shower curtain rod that he could be up on. Not long after we bought a 2 story condo though, he learned to climb the stairs. Trying to encourage him to climb down them from the top seemed to make something click in that brain of his and instead of trying to climb down, he took a leap like a baby bird would from the nest in a nature documentary. It was beyond shocking and very unexpected (and quite frankly, terrifying). This happened within a very short period of time of him being in an environment with a distinctly higher place to need to come down from. Height indeed likely played a big role in triggering that evolutionary response to take that first flight. I also hear about many birds who can fly up but are afraid to fly down. It's one of the biggest problems if a flighted bird escapes. They'll be stuck up a tree and literally not know how or be too terrified to fly down. In nature, a baby amazon takes a plunge for it's first ever flight from a nest way up in a tall tree, so get baby used to flying down as well as up, it's natures way for them to learn!
 
Last edited:

GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month πŸ†
May 14, 2016
15,045
8,742
Cleveland area
Parrots
The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
My two cents...
The Rb has been flighted for the last 30 years or so.
I brainstorm constanntly about potential hazards.
It's important to explore newly-discovered hazards and possibilities for freak accidents, but I have an idea it's the basics... the stuff "everybody knows"... the day-to-day easy-to-forget/overlook stuff. I try to have a little checklist litany before I let the Rbird loose. Toilet/windows/door/stove/fans.
Candles, toxic plants and dangeous perch-places (like uncovered light-bulbs) are already long gone.
Regulars here know that the only way I get him back in the cage is by tossing a fat, big, juicy green chile in there, and he flaps in after it.
 

Inger

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month πŸ†
Mar 20, 2017
3,395
826
Everett, WA
Parrots
Bumble - Pacific (or Celestial) Parrotlet hatched 02/19/17
My two cents...
The Rb has been flighted for the last 30 years or so.
I brainstorm constanntly about potential hazards.
It's important to explore newly-discovered hazards and possibilities for freak accidents, but I have an idea it's the basics... the stuff "everybody knows"... the day-to-day easy-to-forget/overlook stuff. I try to have a little checklist litany before I let the Rbird loose. Toilet/windows/door/stove/fans.
Candles, toxic plants and dangeous perch-places (like uncovered light-bulbs) are already long gone.
Regulars here know that the only way I get him back in the cage is by tossing a fat, big, juicy green chile in there, and he flaps in after it.



I love the visual of RB chasing that chili in every night. He is an amazing bird!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month πŸ†
May 14, 2016
15,045
8,742
Cleveland area
Parrots
The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
Indeed he is.

Little monster.
But I love him. I think that's what parronting is, ultimately.

They didn't ask to be caged... so... love 'em.

THANKS for this thread, my friend.
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top