Amanda_Bennett
New member
She is learning to fly! Or should I say aim herself & land? She's been with me for 16 months now and has always avoided flying due to her "aim" and her landings were terrible (she would somersault or crash land every time) She also had a terrible time going the direction she wanted. If you look at a clock, she would aim herself towards the 12 and she would end up at 10 or 2 then crash. I believe it's for this reason she just chose not to fly, it must have been scary for her. 
I think Mark (Birdman) had it totally right when he said she hadn't been allowed to fledge properly since she was wild caught. So a couple months ago I started working with her. She still has 2 flight feathers on each side trimmed about 1/2 way, but I chose not to have her clipped anymore unless she doesn't learn to aim & land properly, then for her safety I will have to have her clipped again.
So I started slowly with just having her on my finger and raising & lowering my hand fast so she would flap her wings to stay balanced. She really really likes this time with me and flapping her wings, she makes all her Amazon "happy" noises and holds on so tight my finger hurts! I live in an apartment so running around with her doesn't work for me (I would trip over the furniture or run into the walls)
About a week ago I started "tossing" her off my hand towards her cage from about 4 feet away and have gradually moved farther and farther away. She now has no problem landing on her cage top from wherever in the living/dining room I launch her from!
Just in the last 2 days she has decided to try a bit of flying to me from her cage top and has ended up on my head 1 time and on my back just below my shoulder 1 time! She also made it all the way across the living room from her hanging play stand to her cage in the dining room for dinner last night! Now I just have to work on "If you let Mommy know you're coming I can be ready to catch you"
and getting her to fly to me when I call her 
I may be creating a "monster" though, since her favorite perch/toy is me. I've always been able to put her down where I wanted her and she would stay there, but if she learns this flying thing she wouldn't have to stay where I put her, she would be able to join me wherever I happen to be!
I think Mark (Birdman) had it totally right when he said she hadn't been allowed to fledge properly since she was wild caught. So a couple months ago I started working with her. She still has 2 flight feathers on each side trimmed about 1/2 way, but I chose not to have her clipped anymore unless she doesn't learn to aim & land properly, then for her safety I will have to have her clipped again.
So I started slowly with just having her on my finger and raising & lowering my hand fast so she would flap her wings to stay balanced. She really really likes this time with me and flapping her wings, she makes all her Amazon "happy" noises and holds on so tight my finger hurts! I live in an apartment so running around with her doesn't work for me (I would trip over the furniture or run into the walls)
About a week ago I started "tossing" her off my hand towards her cage from about 4 feet away and have gradually moved farther and farther away. She now has no problem landing on her cage top from wherever in the living/dining room I launch her from!Just in the last 2 days she has decided to try a bit of flying to me from her cage top and has ended up on my head 1 time and on my back just below my shoulder 1 time! She also made it all the way across the living room from her hanging play stand to her cage in the dining room for dinner last night! Now I just have to work on "If you let Mommy know you're coming I can be ready to catch you"
and getting her to fly to me when I call her I may be creating a "monster" though, since her favorite perch/toy is me. I've always been able to put her down where I wanted her and she would stay there, but if she learns this flying thing she wouldn't have to stay where I put her, she would be able to join me wherever I happen to be!
