How do you teach them to be outside and not fly away ?

[WingDing]

This is 13 year old thread, but I'll respond because I believe that Eclectus should not be outdoors and expected to return. The hormonal drive to mate can send a male Eclectus flying until they drop. Sure, you see videos of people successfully free-flying Eclectus, but they don't post videos of their birds flying away forever. Just my 2-cents.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

This is 13 year old thread, but I'll respond because I believe that Eclectus should not be outdoors and expected to return. The hormonal drive to mate can send a male Eclectus flying until they drop. Sure, you see videos of people successfully free-flying Eclectus, but they don't post videos of their birds flying away forever. Just my 2-cents.

It seems to me that letting ANY of our parrots free fly outdoors is very likely to result in a lost bird. They aren't homing pigeons. They can fly off and get lost very quickly, whether it's because they're seeking a mate or simply confused. A dog can easily learn where it's home is and return after exploring the neighborhood but with a parrot all it takes is one excursion and you may never see your bird again.

 

[Birdfriendly]

It seems to me that letting ANY of our parrots free fly outdoors is very likely to result in a lost bird. They aren't homing pigeons. They can fly off and get lost very quickly, whether it's because they're seeking a mate or simply confused. A dog can easily learn where it's home is and return after exploring the neighborhood but with a parrot all it takes is one excursion and you may never see your bird again.

I'm in agreement with you Donna, except for one thing. Sadly, 'most dogs' don't find their way home. The shelters are full of lost dogs. I've been a volunteer for an animal rescue for 20 years.

Each year, approximately 10 million pets are lost in the United States, and millions of those end up in the nation's animal shelters. Tragically, only 15 percent of dogs and 2 percent of cats in shelters without ID tags or microchips are reunited with their owners.

I trained my dog not to go out our front door. She's almost 4 years old and she has not and will not go out without me calling her. My dog, and others trained like her in the minority.

I'm working on teaching Byrdie Bird to come when called (inside the house) so in the event he gets out, I'll have a minimally slight chance of getting him back. I won't EVER intentionally let him out 'to see if it works' because he's fully flighted, and there's a 99.999% chance it won't work..

By training Byrdie Bird recall, I'm doing all I can do if he accidentally gets out. Knowing I've done all I could do will give me peace when/if I lose him.

Unlike dogs, 99.999% of birds fly out of sight and earshot quickly, then disappear in trees where they are camouflaged because they are prey. Dogs are preditors and will make themselves visible.

Unlike dogs, 99.999% of birds won't go to a stranger even if they are starving.

There are professional trainers who are capable of training birds to recall outside, but a professional bird trainer is in the minority of minorities. They have tricks, tools, resources, and experience 99.999% of the rest of us bird owners don't have.