Teaching your bird to fly

[StephenAndKyleigh]

So, I started a blog that highlights my day to day life with my flock, as well as some aspects of my personal life such as managing anxiety and bipolar disorder. I give basic training advice, such as how to start target training, but always lead my followers toward Barbara Heidenreich's material due to her expertise. However, I had about 50 people within the last few days ask about how to teach their birds how to fly. I decided to make a quick and simplistic video on how I taught Kyleigh how to fly.

Enjoy the video and my red pants!
www.facebook.com/stephensflock


[ame="https://youtu.be/NwzX86BLwsU"]Teaching your parrot how to fly - YouTube[/ame]

 

[OrnithAudrey]

Very nice! I think that will be very helpful to a lot of people unsure where to start. I did enjoy the video AND your red pants!

 

[GracelynNBirds]

Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!!

 

[StephenAndKyleigh]

Thanks folks! I appreciate it.

 

[Anansi]

Yep, that was exactly how I did it with Bixby. And as he got better, I started adjusting the heights of each training perch for varying levels of difficulty. Then I began adjusting the orientation angles and so on.

They really come to enjoy the exercises and the power of flight.

Great video, Stephen. And interesting pants.

 

[Brittany741]

Awesome video! Thanks. Can you post a link to that target trainer you're using?


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[StephenAndKyleigh]

Awesome video! Thanks. Can you post a link to that target trainer you're using?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you mean this video?


[ame="https://youtu.be/vMpVP88hndA"]Target Training Basics - YouTube[/ame]

 

[SailBoat]

With older parrots that have not flown in years, if ever. I would recommend that you start with a visit to their Avail Vet to check their heart / air sacks prior to begin teaching to fly.

After a clean bill-of-health, start with flapping wings training. Start with at most a minute and add time as their strength grows. Any signs of panting, Stop! Once wing flapping is in place, have them flap their wings as you move around a room. Once again, any signs of panting, Stop! As their strength increases, you will begin to feel lift as they create greater amounts of compressed air under their wings. Both you and your parrot will become aware of this event. When they can maintain that lift on a full trip around the room (still on your finger) it time to start landing training.

Landing training is best done as you complete a trip into a bedroom and with your hand, bring them slowly down on the bed. Let them step onto the bed. They will quickly lock in on this.

Take-offs are next and are a reverse of landing. A step-up and then wing flapping and a combination of you and your parrot lifting. Raise your hand slowly as you feel your parrot create lift.

It is very important to keep a close track of any panting. As before, Stop if panting occurs. If your older parrot hits a limit in the amount of flapping time they can complete prior to panting, Stop! Time to get back to your Avian Vet!

Pushing limits with an older parrot or a parrot that has been ill can result in the death of your parrot!

 

[Brittany741]

Awesome video! Thanks. Can you post a link to that target trainer you're using?





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you mean this video?





[ame="https://youtu.be/vMpVP88hndA"]Target Training Basics - YouTube[/ame]

Yay!! Is that just a chopstick with a clicker stuck to it?

 

[StephenAndKyleigh]

Awesome video! Thanks. Can you post a link to that target trainer you're using?





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you mean this video?





[ame="https://youtu.be/vMpVP88hndA"]Target Training Basics - YouTube[/ame]

Yay!! Is that just a chopstick with a clicker stuck to it?

Yup! I love Chinese food so it works great for me.

 

[Meggj]

I have never taught a parrot how to fly but this is pretty much exactly how we do it with birds of prey, except you use one perch and your hand as the other perch. Get them to eat from your glove first, then to hop onto to the glove and keep moving further back each time. Though it doesn't always work like that. Often your whistling at them, waving your arms and chick around in the air trying to get their attention, and then when they get fed up they just start hopping along the ground instead .