Getting parrot to fly for first time

[Percival the great]

So my Senegal with only fly if something really scares him which is a problem because if something happens and he flys into a tree he probably will never come down! (Not that I let him out without a carrier) I also want him to fly that’s the joy in birds, I do everything Get his favourite treats try different surfaces, but he refuses to its like he doesn’t know he has wings unless he’s terrified of something, he is 2 yo and I think he’s had his wings clipped his hole life but they have finally grown out! I also would like to teach him to fly probably because when he’s scared and flys he crashes into walls, windows etc. and I don’t want him getting hurt… anyone have experience with this?

 

[HeatherG]

Is he willing to do flapping exercises? If he’s standing on your hand, you lower your hand and the bird flaps. My Quaker likes this. It would help his wings to get stronger.

Also letting him be out of his cage with a space to flap may help him get comfortable exercising those wings.

 

[wrench13]

You are miles ands miles away from free flighting this parrot. THe flapping exercise is a good one to start him at least learning he can fly. Take things very slowly with this, especially because he is not a cognizant flyer at this point. Take him around the house, show him what are walls, windows, doors and doorways. Do this lots of times, let him tap his beak on the surfaces, so he learns what is solid and what is not.

Before you attempt any outside free flight, make sure there are no predatory birds in your area. Falcons, hawks, owls anything that is a bird predator will make a quick meal of a Senegal. Check with your local game warden or the Aussie equivalent, dont trust your eyes to tell you this. Second you need a BIG field, I mean REALLY big, not just a football pitch.

 

[Percival the great]

So no I don’t plan to outdoor free flight him for probably a few years and even then it will be with his harness on.
right now I’m just trying to get him to fly about half a foot to get to me from a perch, but he just refuses to he will reach out and try grab on with his beak then try reach one of his feet over, if he doesn’t manage that he just gives up and gets annoyed with me.
He does flap his wings for exercise every now and then, and I do flapping exercises, I know he can fly, he flys into windows whenever he’s scared!?! Not sure what to do next?

 

[LeeC]

@Percival the great, I have a DNA-sexed male Senegal, Charlie, who is approximately 30 years old. I am his third home. I have had him three years. I am in contact with his previous "keeper" who had him around 25 years. Charlie was always clipped before I got him, and he had a really short clip when I got him. It took nearly two years of molts to get all of his feathers back in full. Wahoo--Charlie will fly now, finally! Nope. He went 27 years without flying, and he saw no reason to start then, just because he was fully feathered.

Charlie's cage door was and is always open. (I cannot say that I recommend this.) I have lots of branches around the house for them, too. My house is open-floorplan, with high ceilings. I live in their aviary.

I got him a companion Senegal, George, who turned out to be Georgia. She was about 10 years old, and was never clipped. She flies like an ace fighter pilot. Well, she quickly became scary to him. It was just too much difference in their abilities--and she was too confident, to the point of seeming aggressive.

I got Charlie another Senegal, Fletcher. (I was not seeking one; but, Fletcher had/has a special behavior problem, making rehoming him really challenging, so I decided another Senegal could be good for things here.) Charlie and Fletcher became fast friends and even allopreen sometimes.

Charlie seemed to be inspired by Fletcher's flight, versus being scared by Georgia's. (The fact that he trusts Fletcher seems to matter.) Charlie started trying to fly, as transportation, after seeing Fletcher do so countless times per day. Short trips, and Charlie's landings were a bit awkward, but he kept at it, only flying a few times per week at first. Now, he flies a few times per day, and his landings are better, but still need work.

His general confidence has improved so much. Environmental "things" just do not scare him like they used to. It is amazing. I am so happy for him. It took a year, with lots of opportunity, and a conspecific buddy to inspire Charlie.

I was fairly passive in this process. If you want some inspiration for taking a more active role, watch this: