Kermit crashed into window

[FlyBirdiesFly]

Kermit just crashed head first into a window. He's fine, but what bothers me is that this accident could have been prevented if his wings had NOT been clipped. Something spooked him and Ducky and they both took off, Ducky flew gracefully around the room and landed on my head, and Kermit went right smack into a window, because he couldn't turn quickly enough, while Ducky has never crashed into anything and is an excellent flier. Of course, I will be buying curtains for that window, but the point is, it's much more dangerous to have a clipped bird than a flighted bird. Clipped birds cannot control their flight like fully flighted birds, who can maneuver precisely and change direction at lightning speed. Kermit could have knocked himself out in that collision, or even died. I'm so relieved that he's fine, but I feel people should be aware of the dangers of clipped wings.

 

[itzjbean]

Uh oh, poor Kermit! Glad he's okay...I had a baby tiel crash headfirst into a window last year as they were fledging and the outcome was not so lucky

While I agree with some of what you said, I think wing clipping can be a useful tool in certain situations, like when bird is dive-bombing members of the family from above, or if it takes off around the room and will not come down for anything -- a wing clip may be in order then, but that is just my opinion.

Curtains are a must! I always make sure mine are all drawn when birds are now out of the cage.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Skittles has flown into the window several times and he is flighted. Both times he was startled which led to the crash. The last time it happened his foot went limp and I panicked and took him to the vet. He was fine, no breaks or bruises but rather the limp was likely due to the angle he hit the window (like the 'funny bone').

Needless to say, I now keep the venetian blinds drawn down and open rather than pulled all the way up. That way light still gets in and he's safe from the window.

He has the layout of the apartment pretty well memorized which comes in VERY handy when he gets startled. He easily finds a 'safe' place to land.

I'm glad Kermit is okay, but in all honesty, whether flighted or clipped- this happens and whether they are clipped or not is not going to decrease the chances, but rather having some sort of 'obstruction' on the window to prevent them from flying into it is ideal. Whether its blinds drawn or shades or a see-through curtain.

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

I'm going to buy curtains to cover up that window. Until then, the birds will not be allowed in that room. Ducky has never crashed into anything before and has great maneuverability. He has been startled many, many times and it always ends up with him flying around really fast then landing perfectly. Bluebell is also a very good flier but is too scared to leave the bird room. Kermit may just be a bad flier; we'll see if he improves when his flights grow out. The only other time I've experienced a crash was with Kermit when we first got him; he was freaked out and bumped into the door. Did Skittles fledge as a baby, or was he originally clipped? If he didn't, that might be a reason why he flies into the windows.

 

[texsize]

Skittles has flown into the window several times and he is flighted. Both times he was startled which led to the crash. The last time it happened his foot went limp and I panicked and took him to the vet. He was fine, no breaks or bruises but rather the limp was likely due to the angle he hit the window (like the 'funny bone').

Needless to say, I now keep the venetian blinds drawn down and open rather than pulled all the way up. That way light still gets in and he's safe from the window.

He has the layout of the apartment pretty well memorized which comes in VERY handy when he gets startled. He easily finds a 'safe' place to land.

I'm glad Kermit is okay, but in all honesty, whether flighted or clipped- this happens and whether they are clipped or not is not going to decrease the chances, but rather having some sort of 'obstruction' on the window to prevent them from flying into it is ideal. Whether its blinds drawn or shades or a see-through curtain.

I agree, clipped or not when they panic your bird will head for the hills at top speed.
Hope he get over his injury.

 

[tainoking]

Kermit just crashed head first into a window. He's fine, but what bothers me is that this accident could have been prevented if his wings had NOT been clipped. Something spooked him and Ducky and they both took off, Ducky flew gracefully around the room and landed on my head, and Kermit went right smack into a window, because he couldn't turn quickly enough, while Ducky has never crashed into anything and is an excellent flier. Of course, I will be buying curtains for that window, but the point is, it's much more dangerous to have a clipped bird than a flighted bird. Clipped birds cannot control their flight like fully flighted birds, who can maneuver precisely and change direction at lightning speed. Kermit could have knocked himself out in that collision, or even died. I'm so relieved that he's fine, but I feel people should be aware of the dangers of clipped wings.

Rapidly heavy birds like Quakers sun conures etc. Because of their heavy stocky body weight they can control their flying directions

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[Anansi]

I'm relieved that Kermit is okay! I know that flying full tilt into a window could've had a tragic ending. Please give him some extra scritches for me.

I agree conditionally with what you've said about being clipped increasing the dangers of flight due to the loss of maneuverability. But I say conditionally because there are so many potential variables that might influence the calculus of your argument.

Let's start with an example that supports your point: my ekkie, Jolly. Jolly was allowed to fledge as he should've. Not only was he never clipped, but his former parront (Labell) encouraged his flying and nurtured his burgeoning flight skills. As a result, he is an extremely skillful flier. Now, if Jolly had found himself in a home where his wings would've been clipped, he would indeed have been at a greater risk of injury. The loss of the mobility and maneuverability to which he is accustomed, and the overall change in the dynamics of his flight, would put him into a potentially dangerous situation the next time he attempted to fly.

But consider a bird that has always been clipped. A bird who was never allowed the opportunity to develop the flight skills and instincts that Jolly has. What then? If he was suddenly allowed to grow out his flights, he would definitely be in more danger of hurting himself with a collision. (Putting aside for the moment the potential cardiac risks associated with suddenly engaging in such intensive and demanding exercise after years of a more relatively sedentary existence.) Why? Because he never had the skills to begin with. He never got to fledge.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that unfledged birds shouldn't get the chance to become flighted. Not at all. As you know, all birds in my household keep their flights. I don't clip. No, what I'm saying is that the new parront to such a bird would have to go into flighting that bird with his/her eyes wide open to the potential dangers. I think the health benefits and joys of flight are worth the risk, but the parront MUST be willing to put in the work of mitigating those risks. Such as beginning the flight training in a small room and taking whatever time is necessary to develop those skills before allowing them flight in the house proper.

There are other variables as well, such as individual personality and disposition, or predisposition to panicked flight. Again, I'd advocate mitigating the risks, but keeping one's eyes wide open.

I'm glad you've brought this topic up for discussion, as the fact that clipping wings can, in some cases, increase the risk of crashing is not a fact that is heard anywhere near as much as the "clipping protects birds from crashing" stance. Both possibilities need to be taken into account, in my opinion.

 

[LordTriggs]

100% as Allee said, it comes down to a case by case scenario with clipping as I will shout out to the world until my last breath.

Some birds can be amazing fliers never crashing moving around at mach speed having tonnes of fun. But some birds are clumsier than others even when allowed to fledge, those are the ones that if in the wild become dinner. A sad but true fact of life. If a bird proves themselves accident prone a clip is definitely in order, if a bird is adopted and was clipped before then that clip should be upheld, they've got used to life like that. Imagine spending you entire life from birth with a pair of weights on your feet, then suddenly at 18 someone removes those weights. you'd barely be able to stand up, it's as similar an idea as I can come up with.

Good to hear Kermit is okay!

 

[clark_conure]

Old argument....I clip Clark so he can get about a foot up, then nothing but downward controlled descent. At a loud noise he jumps up and can easily do a controlled 360 and land right back at my shoulder, other times he lightly lands on the floor. Then walks back, climbs the wooden ladder up to desk and walks back onto my shoulder.

I clip him because we go outside, we roll up the windows and take car rides and go to local stores together, I don't take him into chain stores but I live in a small town and he's welcome by the proprietors of mom and pop stores, they adore him and I think it makes a break in their day to see a parrot come in sitting on his pet. (especially the girls). Some people use pac-o-birds, some use harnesses and I applaud that, but me and clark we just go do stuff. And I know someone is going to say they can still fly off, well not really, no more than a hamster can fly off if you clip the wings right.

Let me say this, if you want to clip you have to do it right, you cant clip to short or your bird will just fall and go splat, you can't leave to much and let them "kind of, sort of" get some lift because then they can hurt themselves. It's a balancing act just like all the work you do to train behavior.

I live in split level and sometimes I'll go to the door and my bird will be on the edge of the upper part over the downward stairs....I tell him, you're gonna fall...and well he fell once and flapped down to the stairs below....that's where you want to get the flight feathers....controlled descent.

Everyone knows their situation better than anyone else so each person can decide the flighted vs. clipped for themselves, I lost a cockatiel once to an idiot neighbor coming over and leaving the door open, so I prefer, for his safety, to clip. It just has to be done right, and that's the important thing.

 

[GaleriaGila]

One of my usual suggestions...
Recommended to me in the early days... "wall and window training"... taking the bird around to walls and windows, and encouraging them to tap or at least experience the situation, so they can see that walls are WALLS and windows are HARD AIR. Has worked for us.
Demonstration... it's also a cute "trick".
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF1lyE72pOs"]Scene 4 - Hotel Rickeybird - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Anansi]

...And I know someone is going to say they can still fly off, well not really, no more than a hamster can fly off if you clip the wings right.

Sorry, I'm going to have to be that someone. Sure, a clip definitely makes taking off far more difficult. But outside, in the right conditions, drafts have been known to take even clipped birds on a rather long jaunt. Even members here on this very forum have gone through this. Sometimes they've been able to retrieve the beloved bird from a fence or tree limb not too far away. But in other more tragic cases, the fid was never recovered. And we're talking about wings that were clipped right.This really comes down to physics. Given the right wind conditions, believe me, it can and does happen.

The only way it wouldn't be possible is with those butcher type cuts that cause a bird to drop like a rock. And I'd like to think none of our members would ever do that kind of clip.

One of my usual suggestions...
Recommended to me in the early days... "wall and window training"... taking the bird around to walls and windows, and encouraging them to tap or at least experience the situation, so they can see that walls are WALLS and windows are HARD AIR. Has worked for us.
Demonstration... it's also a cute "trick".
Scene 4 - Hotel Rickeybird - YouTube

I love, love, LOVE this video demonstration, Abigail! Well done, RB!

 

[Allee]

I totally agree with Anansi's opinions concerning clips, I can only add, I've seen two of my birds struggle after first botched clips by breeders before I ever met the chicks, it took months for them to regrow and replace all the feathers, even longer to really gain skill and confidence after being clipped before fledging.

RickyBird, thanks for the wall demo! Excellent video!

 

[Scott]

I have only have had to clip one bird in recent memory. It was done for behavioral reasons (likely hormonal) for an exceptionally sweet bird. Suggested and performed by an outstanding vet, the clip and passage of time seemed to help. Now totally flightworthy and back to his wonderful self. Bird feathering is sufficiently complex, clipping IMO must be performed by a qualified individual.

 

[clark_conure]

Obviously you don't take a bird out in high winds, or in temps under 70. I'll put it this way

Scenario 1) I live in an apartment and the windows dont open and have curtains, if he flew out the door he would only find himself in a hallway, untill he figures out the elevator, completely safe.

Scenario 2) you live in a house with kids that don't pay attention and windows open doors open, bird flies off.

If you go through the bereavement forum for every "my bird flew off story" theres at least 5, the bird flew up to the door jam and I shut the door, or the bird hit a wall, or the bird hit a window, bird landed in the toilet etc.\. I'd prefer my bird land on the carpet because I love him. It's what I put before, every person has a better understanding of their environment and to think you know better is kind of egotistic.

I don't take my bird out in hig winds or when the temp is low, I also don't juggle knives when he's sitting on my shoulder. Nor do I run through the house if I know he's on the floor, some things are common sense, and sometimes clipping is the smart move for quality of life.

My only point is it has do be done right, and I take it to a science...i believe I'm more "qualified" than a teenager that has no idea what he or she is really doing.

If your bird is clipped right then enjoy, if not, then you're all right it's not safe. It takes precision.

 

[Anansi]

Obviously you don't take a bird out in high winds, or in temps under 70.

Two points here. One, "obviously" is a relative term. There are far too many people of varying experience levels reading these posts for me to rely on the luxury of such an assumption as a mod. What may be obvious to you may not be quite so obvious to someone perhaps less experienced than yourself. Fact is, there are people out there who believe that a wing clip is a guarantee against a bird's ability to fly off.

And two, I never said high winds. I'm not saying, "be careful not to take your birds out in a windstorm." I'm pointing out that an ill-timed gust or draft could take one's bird out farther than their parront might expect, given even a clip they might deem as proper or precise. If you lived on an acreage, this might not be much of an issue. But if you live on city streets? It's not inconceivable that a bird might cross a street, glide across a backyard or two, and wind up well beyond your line of sight.

Scenario 1) I live in an apartment and the windows dont open and have curtains, if he flew out the door he would only find himself in a hallway, untill he figures out the elevator, completely safe.

Scenario 2) you live in a house with kids that don't pay attention and windows open doors open, bird flies off.

Scenario 1 is clearly the easiest option for a flighted bird. (Assuming neighbors who don't lose their minds over bird calls and such.) Scenario 2, however, is one that behooves the parront to take the necessary precautions to make it safe for their parrot. I, for instance, live in a house with my wife and two energetic boys aged 9 and 6. So for my household, there has been at least as much emphasis on training the people as the birds. A certain procedure has been put rather rigidly in place concerning protocol for the opening and closing of doors. Or for whether bathroom doors are left open, or toilet lids are closed, or cooking taking place. This is just the cost of having a parrot. Vigilance. If this care is not taken, then you're right. Things can happen. It's the job of the keeper of a flighted parrot to mitigate those risks.

I don't take my bird out in hig winds or when the temp is low, I also don't juggle knives when he's sitting on my shoulder. Nor do I run through the house if I know he's on the floor, some things are common sense, and sometimes clipping is the smart move for quality of life.

My only point is it has do be done right, and I take it to a science...i believe I'm more "qualified" than a teenager that has no idea what he or she is really doing.

If your bird is clipped right then enjoy, if not, then you're all right it's not safe. It takes precision.

Haha! I'm not likening your practices to juggling knives or running around with your bird on the floor. Don't take it that way. But when I post, I do so keeping in mind all who may read what I write. Not just the OP. I just want to make sure everyone does understand that clipping does not eliminate the danger of a bird flying away. It may curtail it somewhat, but it doesn't eliminate it. That's all.

You have an opinion regarding how to best keep your bird safe. I may not share it, but I certainly do understand and respect the motivation behind it.

 

[clark_conure]

And I respect your opinion/facts Anansi.

I just don't believe in a blanket statement one way or the other. Every owner has to decide what is best in their situation. I wish I could let clark fly around, but he also likes the other things, fortunately parrots are adept at verbally and non-verballiy communicate with their owners and I know he likes to go outside and help me add seeds to the bird feeders or go shopping. He can talk and when I go into the garage he's "come on! come on!"

I think every pet, to a bird, knows their situation a little better than everyone else, and I understand new bird owners might make a mistake of relying to much on a clip. That's why I stress it has to be done right. Half of what I wrote was about that. And what you all posted should help them realize it's not 100% as well.


As far as the scenarios I just wanted to express two polar opposites. I'm glad you picked up on that fact and I agree people training is the most important for a birds safety.

 

[Skullkeeper]

Glad your bird ok . My Green Cheek flew into my balcony door window today when my fire alarm went off . He was terrified . I scooped him up and put him in his travel cage and took him out on the balcony till the alarm stopped. I live in an apartment building and it was from another apartment on my floor so my alarm went off too. Cody seems ok . He does have his wings clipped.But he can fly at least ten feet with them clipped , just maybe not at full speed . I have a curtain for the door but had forgotten to shut it . I wonder if I should get window decals too ?