Free flight-baby Hyacinth macaw-cool vid.

[Timneh]

I'm so jealous!
I wish I had a Hyacinth Macaw like Roxy and live near an open area to fly her, maybe someday soon.

What do you think about free flight?
Or do you use a harness?

I'm for free flight in an open area but definitely not in a populated area that has trees and hills, and cars and dogs, electrical wires, and many other dangers, the risks are too high!

:32:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk2s8U7pNhg&t=164s"]4 month old Hyacinth Macaw ROXY free-flying for the very first time outdoors - YouTube[/ame]

 

[SailBoat]

Free Flight requires extensive training and /or other well-trained Parrots as guides.

Note the location and how extremely different it is from the upper mid-West of the USA. This location was well choose, as 'they' selected this location because they become the one of the very few land marks for several miles in each direction.

Unlike the Upper Mid-West, there are no families of raptors anywhere close to this location.

This is a family that has extensive experience with Free Flight!

Free Flight is Not For The Inexperienced!!!

Got an extra 35,000 to 50,000 USD or more and you can have one!

Our Amazon is an 'indoor' free flier and with the vast numbers of raptors that include our home in their coverage area, only a fool would attempt Free Flight in my area!

 

[Timneh]

Free Flight requires extensive training and /or other well-trained Parrots as guides.

Note the location and how extremely different it is from the upper mid-West of the USA. This location was well choose, as 'they' selected this location because they become the one of the very few land marks for several miles in each direction.

Unlike the Upper Mid-West, there are no families of raptors anywhere close to this location.

This is a family that has extensive experience with Free Flight!

Free Flight is Not For The Inexperienced!!!

Got an extra 35,000 to 50,000 USD or more and you can have one!

Our Amazon is an 'indoor' free flier and with the vast numbers of raptors that include our home in their coverage area, only a fool would attempt Free Flight in my area!

Hyacinth macaws go for around $12,000 not $50,000.
I don't think it's so much about extensive training as much as good common sense. This was the first time this macaw went outdoors.

I know of some nice flat farm lands here in Illinois that are wide open for miles that would be great for free flying large macaws.
A hawk might fly out to check out the giant macaws and maybe dive bomb one but I doubt they would harm a giant hyacinth macaw, a macaw has his own defenses like the loud screams and capable of performing amazing aerobatics maneuvers.

I'm not impressed with these people! I've seen their other free flight videos of these people in this video, they also fly their macaws down the LA streets, you can hear large dogs barking and cars driving by., that's foolish and reckless. Some of their birds died from toxic poisoning by the neighbor painting in his back yard. They knew it was a risky environment but did nothing to GET THE BIRDS OUT OF THERE!

 

[chris-md]

No, it’s extensive training, make no mistake about that. Recall training needs to be ON POINT. The bond building and recall training that goes on before the bird ever goes outside is intense.

Just because the bird is going outside for the first time doesn’t mean months of workdidnt go into preparing the bird for that first flight. He didn’t go out there blind.

And don’t think a raptor won’t go for a Macaw. There’s videos out there of smaller kestrels going after greenwing hybrids. Desperation makes nature do desperate things.

 

[Timneh]

If I was training a macaw to free fly I would use a whistle with a treat.
So if the bird veers of course you simple use the whistle rather than screaming for them. The parrot won't recognize our screaming well because we don't scream at our parrots so train recall with a whistle.
There is no way to avoid predator birds outside, you just have to monitor it, if you see one coming close to your bird, use the whistle and go home, or move to a new location. The hawks around my house are not too smart and always being chased by the smaller birds.
When a wild raptor sees a large macaw flying outside it's instinct compels it to fly over to investigate, then you should retrieve the macaw before the raptor gets wise.
Yes there are always risks when free flying outdoors.
My only experience was years ago I encouraged a young Timneh to fly in my 1 acre back yard that was a fledgling. His feathers were slightly clipped from the parrot shop so he could only fly like 50 feet then would land in the grass or stand. All under the eye of a giant owl. The owl never went after him maybe because it wasn't hungry or because I was out there running around after my Timneh. I regret flying my parrot in my back yard, way too many dangers.

Crazy story, one morning I was looking out my back window and seen 2 deer run across my back yard, right behind the deer a huge coyote in pursuit, then chasing the coyote the neighbors St. Bernard dog, then that giant owl flew down right behind the dog, then the dog's owner running behind them all, I couldn't believe my eyes, I wish I got that on video.

 

[itzjbean]

I will say free-flighted birds have a big advantage -- they get to fly, the way they were meant to, get to exercise and work the muscles in their wings. HOWEVER, there are always risks and it takes tons of training. You don't just take a macaw outside that's never been trained before and try to see if it will fly to you when you whistle.

It starts inside first. You get the parrot used to flying by training it to fly to your arm from a perch/stand some feet away. Flight recall training. First by getting it to leap onto your arm, then fly from a further difference. Only when the parrots comes EVERY SINGLE TIME is when you move on to the next step -- increase the distance from person to bird. Then when they can fly to you from a small distance, then that's when you move outside, many try to find an enclosed area that can allow flight (like an outdoor aviary, flight cage, etc.) so there is no risk of bird flying away but will get to experience outside flying and practice. Again, more recall.

After ALL THAT, and when the bird will come to you in the cage is when you move to the location -- the smart people find places that have no trees, no roads, nothing to land in or get tangled in.

I have heard though.... with free-flighted birds, once they get the taste for open air, they crave it. They want to go do it all the time and get mad when they don't get out to fly for a while. That can be a problem for those in the Midwest where the winters can be brutal, and birds simply cant go out free flying.

It does take a lot of time, but someday I hope to have a macaw that can enjoy free flight.

 

[bigfellasdad]

IVe seen a few free flight video's, surely as parrot owners it is the pinnacle thing to do. Ive read in several places that CAGs are not good for this as they have too much of an opinion on what they want to do.

Id love to find a hall where like minded owners could allow the birds to fly as free within reason.

As regards to predator birds, we have buzzards, sparrow hawks and smaller hawks, even when i train Enzo for harness training ill have to have my wits about me id imagine. I must admit to love watching the buzzards come in and seeing the reaction of all the birds around the house, they make a bee line to the woods for sure.

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

Free flight looks amazing. But is it practical and safe? Not for most people in most areas. Indoor flight gives the bird the exercise and enrichment, but without the great risks that come with taking your bird out in the open.
I myself would never free fly my birds. They are small and could be lost easily, are easily spooked, and are not used to being outside. We also have hawks in the area that would love a birdy snack.
Now, if I were a professional trainer, had large, colorful macaws that raptors likely wouldn’t go after, and was willing to put in all the effort that would be different. But all my birds enjoy indoor flight and recall training. Clipping wings, I will never do. My birds get to keep their wings. But letting them decide to either come back to me or fly far away, too risky.

 

[SailBoat]

IVe seen a few free flight video's, surely as parrot owners it is the pinnacle thing to do. Ive read in several places that CAGs are not good for this as they have too much of an opinion on what they want to do.

Id love to find a hall where like minded owners could allow the birds to fly as free within reason.

As regards to predator birds, we have buzzards, sparrow hawks and smaller hawks, even when i train Enzo for harness training ill have to have my wits about me id imagine. I must admit to love watching the buzzards come in and seeing the reaction of all the birds around the house, they make a bee line to the woods for sure.

Some time ago, I recall Parrot Clubs in England that rented a hall to Free Flight their Parrots. Just a couple of months ago, I was communicating with an individual that was Part of a Club in Northern Europe that was doing the same. So, they are out there.

 

[wrench13]

Indoor training enclosures for equestrian riding comes to mind as a good place to free fly. A shame the local horse facility inmy town just got sold and demolished.

 

[Anansi]

I once entertained thoughts of free flying my birds, but reality kicked in upon paying closer attention to the sky in my area. Chock full of raptors. Big, pterodactyl looking things, too. Just too big a risk.

One member a year or so back revealed that he had taken to flying his macs in batting cages. Phenomenal idea! Here is the thread: http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/64982-batting-cages-birds.html

Beautiful video of that Hyacinth!