does this look like a hard clip to you?

[Kalel]

My sun conure is about 7 1/2 months old. When I got him he was about four months old. He had had his wings clipped and they have yet to grow back. I was just wondering if anybody can tell me if this is a hard clip? I hear that phrase used on this website quite a bit and if I'm not mistaken it means that he was clipped a little too much. If it is a hard clip does that just mean it will take longer for their feathers to fall out and then regrow? I hope this picture is sufficient to show what I'm trying to show. Thanks!

 

[RavensGryf]

It looks 'normal' to me. Not a 'light' clip though. If sun conures are like most other small to medium size birds, Lemon will start to molt anytime between now and a few months from now most likely. Whether or not wings are clipped a little or a lot, it has no bearing on 'when' they'll fall out from the body in a molt .

I don't know if it's an 'official' term lol, but we know what one means when "hard clip" is mentioned. Meaning cut back pretty far. Not all birds with a hard clip will drop like a rock like many people think. If they are used to flying, and have the muscle condition, some can still fly surprisingly well regardless.

Anyway, this isn't a clip or not to clip thread. If you want Lemon to have full wings, I say he will before you know it!

 

[Kalel]

Thanks for the reply, RavensGryf! It's good to know that there is a specific expected molting time! It's also nice to know that his clip is normal. Lemon does not drop like a rock, thankfully, when he tries to fly. He can glide downwards off his cage at an angle and hits the floor at a reasonably good landing speed I think. He usually doesn't attempt to fly but will rather hang off the edge of his cage with his shoulder blades a bit away from his body and sort of flutter his wings like he WANTS to take off. He usually does this when he wants to be with us LOL. Sometimes, if the urge is too strong he will actually take off and land on the back of the couch which is a good 1 metre flight . I have recently even seen him try to flutter and fly along the floor to get somewhere. That's something that he has recently started doing.
I guess I was kind of concerned because I have seen a new tail feather start to grow in but nothing regarding the wings. I had a budgie who I was lucky enough to have for 13 years and from what I remember his wings would grow in so fast! I doubt it would have taken 4 months. I'm not sure if the smaller breeds molt more often or perhaps my memory is just faded as he passed away in 2005 so it's been a while. Anyways, thanks again for your reply! It was extremely helpful to me

 

[Kiwibird]

It looks like a 'normal' clip to me. He's just got his primaries clipped. Thats about what we give Kiwi and I wouldn't consider him hard clipped. A "hard" clip is where they basically take the whole bottom of the wing off (get the primary and secondary flights). It can take a year or more to fully grow back clipped feathers. They do not fully molt out all their feathers in a year, so he will get them back sporadically.

And FYI it is normal that a bird clipped like that can fly a little bit, what they can't do is get good lift.

 

[Kalel]

Well, just yesterday I found a single half clipped wing feather at the bottom of Lemon's cage! Just thought I'd update everyone who replied to my thread. Thanks again!

 

[RavensGryf]

Great news for Lemon! Yay!
You might see that with this first molt, he will not stop for a while, or go on and off, on and off, until he's pretty much finished all over his body. Then in years after, it will not be entire body at one time.

...Talking about hard clips, my new English budgie was given such a severe clip at the bird store before I got her (into her secondaries) that it's even harder for her to climb and balance I feel .

 

[Kalel]

Thanks for the info RavensGryf. Definitely good to know! Poor budgie Hopefully she will grow new ones in soon and her climbing and balancing will improve!