Moon's Graden

folks,

keep in mind, this article is highly biased, completely my own
opinion, and stated somewhat forcefully.  Flames to /dev/null.

a rather good friend of mine, who owns a sun conure, recently decided
that birds should have the opportunity to fly as nature intended.  Thus
he let the wings grow, and enjoyed watching the bird circling inside
the house, on top of the refrigerator, etc.  Kamikazi birdie, so to
say.

well, last weekend my friend was opening the garage door, with the
door to the house still ajar.  <zzziiipppp!> went our feathered friend,
out the garage and into the sky.  keep in mind it's the middle of
february, the birds' idea of roughing it was eating non-heated
broccoli, and it was going to fall to 38 degrees during the
night.

we called for the bird, who obviously wasn't wearing his beeper.
my friend left the cage outside, and we finally gave up at around
10:00pm.

this story, however, does have a happy ending.  the next morning,
the bird returned, landed on my friend's shoulder, who gently
walked him into the house without trying to grab him.  the
probability of that happening, though, was infinitesimally (sp)
small.

peoples, clip those wings!!  as responsible pet owners, we owe it
to our house birds that they not find themselves in deadly situations
(like being turned into a frozen birdie pop.)  mistakes do happen,
and the results can be permanent.

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It is fascinating watching a bird learn aerobatic maneuvers such as turning 180
degrees in a corridor that is not much bigger than its wingspan, etc.  We've
never had a problem with the bird getting outside though it is definitely a
concern.  We have screens over the windows (already there for mosquito
protection) and my family has always kept doors closed.  The bird has lived
this way for 12 years now.  I don't think I'd have the heart to clip her wings
because the bird enjoys flying and trying new stunts out so much.

Tanya Olsen

I've noticed that training the bird is much more effective when it
flies to YOU (my***atiel did, within a couple of days of bringing
him home from the breeder, you just have to sit still near them, and
read, munch on chips, or do something that grabs their curiosity, but
doesn't scare them.)  How can the bird fly to you if its wings are
clipped?
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define the word "fair."  fair as in relation to humanity?  fair as in
an analogy to keeping a dog solely inside or outside of the house?  That
is projecting a human's emotions/desires/etc. upon a creature of
different mental and emotional capacity.  if a bird is always clipped,
how can it appreciate what it doesn't experience?

->especially when the bird is
->small enought to enjoy flying around in doors.  

and hopefully not bumping into windows, mirrors, etc.  it is possible
to house train a bird, however, it is a responsibility.

->We don't "owe it" to the
->bird to protect it from flying outside by clipping its wings.  

not everyone is as responsible a bird owner as demanded by a non-clipped
bird.  when my friend's conure escaped in the middle of february, sure,
it was my friend's fault, but the only one who suffered was the bird.

->Nor is it
->an aide in training the bird.  This, to me, is the difference between
->chaining a metal ball to a prisoner's ankle, rather than going through
->the trouble to see that the jailhouse is secure.  

birds are not criminally minded creatures - ideally, they are animals
which are capable of adjusting to radical situations (like a new home)
given time and patience.  btw, it might not be an aide to you, but other
people have given most favorable responses to the method....

->It has become second
->nature to us to check the doors before going in and out of the house.
->Trust me, it's not that much of a bother.

more power to you!  if your method works, then hey, continue.

->I've noticed that training the bird is much more effective when it
->flies to YOU (my***atiel did, within a couple of days of bringing
->him home from the breeder, you just have to sit still near them, and
->read, munch on chips, or do something that grabs their curiosity, but
->doesn't scare them.)  How can the bird fly to you if its wings are
->clipped?

angus, my hf yellow collared clipped-winged macaw, will climb to the
floor and scuttle after me, calling out until he discovers my location.
lacking flight feathers, birds are quite capable of locomoting when
needed....my mom used to let her african grey bart fly about the house,
until bart discovered my father's collection of edison phonograph players
(which seemed to be coated with parrot-yummy taste.)  several shredded
antiques later, the bird was doomed to clipped-wing status - now all
she does is walk over to said antiques for her search-and-destroy
mission.

in short, mistakes do happen.  if you are extremely careful and can
eliminate ALL hazards to your birds, non-clipped wings could be an option.
having had to deal with my friend and his child during the invisible
bird event last week, i choose to lessen that possibility by clipping
wings when needed.

your milage may vary,

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%%   The Speaking Tongue, AT&T   %%  C Code.  C Code Run.  Run, Code, RUN! %%

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