Greetings from Vermont!

[1955Scot]

I decided to join Parrotforums because I have a lot to learn about macaw ownership and creating a happy home for both our macaw and us.

Our beautiful Blue & Gold is called Maya. She is in her late twenties. We bought her in 2010 and later found out from the local vet that we were her third or fourth owners. My husband had enjoyed having smaller birds and wanted a large parrot, but we did not do our due diligence about the demands of owning a Blue & Gold. Although we get frustrated with her sometimes, we love her a lot and want the best for her. We have made a commitment to Maya because she is smart, funny, and doesn't have any control over her situation. She has become a family member.

Initially, Maya bonded with me which was a surprise because I had no experience with birds and was not the person who wanted her. But we got on well, and I gained confidence handling her. When I broke my arm in 2015, she changed allegiance within 24 hours and became my husband's bird! Quite funny! She even turned her head away from me; I became 'persona non grata!' Nowadays, if my husband is not here, Maya and I get on fine.

Since we got Maya, her flight wings have always been clipped. We did not question this. Now, we realize she should fly. After all, what are birds supposed to do if not fly! She's a bit overweight, particularly in the breast area. We are interested in learning from an experienced macaw person how best to go about letting her fly safely, both indoors and outdoors. A few years ago in a different home, when we were outside with her, she was spooked and did fly across the swimming pool crashing gently into a picket fence. Fortunately, no damage was done!

I look forward to learning a lot from other macaw owners with the goal of improving our life with Maya and Maya's life with us. Thanks for reading.

 

[SailBoat]

We like to share things here, because we can not always assure that one species expert will be available while another individual maybe able to provide at least foundation information that just may prove to be of help!

I'm a fully admitted Amazon Snob! But have been helping Amazons to learn to regain flight. And, just to make this even more questionable, in the Amazon SubForum is a 'sticky' Thread at or near the top is a that is titled (sorry): I Love Amazons, --- Within that huge Thread is a segment that targets the process of Teaching an Older Amazon Flight. Search down the first couple of pages until you find something like that. You just may find that helpful!

Mac's are different from Amazon in that they have much larger flight surfaces (Wings and Tail Feathers) and as a result they tend to fly with much less wing and lift. Where Amazons have smaller flight surfaces with allow them to dart in heavily wooded areas. Where Mac's tend to be long distance travelers.

All kidding aside, We all Love Parrots and Birds here and there is a wealth of knowledge in all of us.

Welcome!!!

 

[WhiteFlight]

Maya is fortunate to be in your family. One of my clients has a Blue & Gold. Beautiful birds.

I can appreciate your desire to flight train her. The exercise could help put her weight on track. My Umbrella's wings were clipped when I got her at eight months in 89. I worked with her on flying as the replacements came in. Her control and maneuvers amaze me.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Laurasea]

welcome!! So many great people here!

 

[Scott]

Welcome to you and Maya, kudos for working through challenges and striving to improve her life!

Change of allegiance coincident with your injury fascinating! Thankfully she tolerates you in husband's absence!!

Freedom of flight with a macaw is awesome responsibility. May be challenging in your home, depending on size and layout. Free-flight outdoors is another dimension fraught with cost-benefit. Enjoyment of open vistas must be balanced with hazards of raptors and escape. Check our dedicated forum for guidance: Free Flight - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community

 

[wrench13]

Welcome and be welcomed.

Free flight. Always a very hard decision to make. I will realte 2 stories, 1 personal and 1 from a long time member here. My first parrot, a spectacled Amazon, was my constant companion. Not only in the house but doing laundry, going shopping, even going to a club or two. No harness ( they hadn't been invented yet). One day going to the store, a truck hit its air brakes right next to us, and whosh, off he flew, never to be seen again.

THe other story is one of our senior members, a really well versed person when it comes to Macaws, used to fly his scarlet mac several times a week, for years and years. In the middle of a flight, a man was painting his house (adjacent to the field they were 'flying' ) and the ladder tipped over just as the macaw was near it. It spooked the parrot and off she went. And this is after years of free flight. She was never recovered.

So, give these scenarios some consideration when making that decision.

PS, I envy you, blue and gold macaws are among my favorite parrots, and it was just space considerations that prevented me from getting one 7 yrs ago, when my little BeeBee parrot passed.

 

[Flboy]

Welcome! 1000% plus on what the pirate said! FYI, even a clipped perch potato can get lost!