How can I start??

[Henryofmagic]

Hey guys how's everything?i would really like to take my bird to free fly buttttt i don't know where to start. I have a DVD on beginning the free flight but my macaw need that jump lead to fly how can I get this jump?the treats aren't doing it.

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

Well I see you have like 16 views and no comments so I figure I'll at least say "sorry, I have no idea how to help".

 

[tab_xo]

what do you mean by 'need that jump lead?'

 

[Mudkips]

I think his macaw doesn't know how to fly and he's asking for tips on how to teach it to launch (leading jump?).

 

[Henryofmagic]

Sorry I I wast clear.My macaw can fly he was a great flyer,but he has stoped trying to fly only when he wants now .I'm trying to train him to fly to me (recall)but he don't want to jump off a perch to fly to me he gets real excited and his wings start twitching but he won't take off to fly to me how can I get him to jump off whatever he is on to come to me?

 

[tab_xo]

ohhhh, have you tried holding out a treat while holding your arm up?

 

[MaraWentz]

Just hac him step to your arm form a perch, while you hold a treat. Reward him with te treat, and put him back. Gradually step farher and farther from the perch, so the step becasue a longggg step (which he will use his beak to help him across), then eventually it will become a jump, then a flutter then a fly. It took Erin a week of anticipation of fluttering and pacing her stand before she made the 5 ft fly form her stand to my bed to see me. IT takes courage to do that, so it will take time. She used to try to fly to me from the stand and would chicken out and fall 3 inches and grasp on to her toy and climb back off. That was hilarious to watch.

 

[MaraWentz]

Start with putting your arm out to step up and then gradually create distance. IT will go from stepping up to a stretched out step, toa jump, to a flutter jump, to a fly. It takes courage.

 

[friedsoup]

Yeah what they said start with steps to your arm then jumps then flight. Then I'd see if I could use the local(indoor) basketball court for free flight until your bird learns recall and comes everytime you use the recall signal (cop whistle is what I'd suggest)

 

[Henryofmagic]

Thanks for your replies guys, Ima try what you guys have suggested and if no luck then i would come back thanks a lot .

Enjoy
Henry

 

[MonicaMc]

When people say to break a behavior down into tiny steps (like baby steps), they mean to break them down really small! Not too many birds can "connect the dots" and immediately understand what their owners want them to do.


Typed this up for someone else... it's a cross-post, although perhaps it may be of help...



If he knows step-up, and he'll step up reliably, then you can teach him to fly on command! The first command is step up, using a different command.

1. "Come" - have Kiwi step up. Repeat 10 to 100 times
2. "Come" - have Kiwi stretch just a little to step up. Repeat 10 to 100 times
3. "Come" - have Kiwi use his beak to step up. Repeat 10-100 times
4. "Come" - Have Kiwi hop to your hand. Repeat 10-100 times
5. "Come" - Have Kiwi hop to your hand with a wing flap. Repeat 10-100 times
6. "Come" - Have Kiwi fly to your hand in a short distance. Repeat 10-100 times.
7. "Come" - Have Kiwi fly to your hand in a somewhat longer distance. Repeat 10-100 times.
8. etc....

More or less, break down the command into small steps, and repeat each step until Kiwi accomplishes the step at least 9 times out of 10. If Kiwi is reluctant to go onto the next step, then go back a step and repeat until Kiwi is comfortable with that step before proceeding further.



You can read more below.
http://www.flyingparrotsinside.com/

 

[lpolliard]

I am working toward recall flight with Chico so I have been trying to teach him to step/reach/hop/fly across to my hand. My limited success maybe due in part to a lack of self confidence to actually take that leap of faith. He is more comfortable hopping/flying to the back of a large recliner. Over the weekend I think I stumbled upon a technique to build up his confidence and trust in this maneuver. While walking with harness dawned I was holding him up in a slight breeze. I think Chico was taken by surprise when he lifted up a foot above my hand. This was probably the first time he actually got lift in his 25 years. He has not been clipped since December and I doubt he was ever flighted. I swear his eyes were wide in amazement, mine were. He lifted then landed back on my hand very easily. Since Saturday we have been training in this manner and hope to go horizontal soon.