Opal isn’t a great flyer... and I don’t know why. Should I be worried?

[reeb]

My birds are all flighted, and Opal my male show budgie is very unfit and doesn’t fly well. Pearl, his mate (they are unrelated but I got them both as babies) loves to fly, and does laps around the room all the time! However, when Opal flies he struggles to get lift, and when he lands he hyper-ventilates from being tired. A few months ago when he was younger (before his first molt) Pearl messed up a few of his tail feathers, so initially I thought it was just that. However, he has molted now and still doesn’t fly well... he has never had cropped wings, so I’m not sure what is wrong.

Should I be worried? He is completely healthy and happy otherwise.

 

[SailBoat]

Flight is what a Bird's body is designed to do! If a bird that has never been clipped and was allowed to fledge, they should have little to no problem flying and flying with length.

If all of that is true, you have only one place to start from and that is an in-depth evaluation of the primary support systems for flight!

- The first is the Heart, as a failure of any part of the Heart will not allow the needed blood flow to support flight. It is important to understand that it is rare that ANY vet will check with depth the function of the Heart as the vast majority of Companion Parrots are non-fliers.
- The Air Sacks (lungs). The proper and rapid transfer of oxygen into the blood stream occurs here. Without the needed oxygen, the flight muscles cannot function. As with the Heart, our Vets are looking at Blood tests with a lesser interest regarding this issue.
- The flight Muscles, represent the transfer of energy to the fight surfaces. Without the strength and supporting oxygen, the bird cannot continue to fly any distance without the heavy extensive breathing.

Clearly one or all of those systems is (are) not operating to the needed levels.

If your Parrot has either heart or air sack problems, training the muscles becomes a death sentence! Hence, the need to verify the health of those systems first.

To assure that Opal has the health to support flight, you need to meet with your CAV and tell s/he that you fly your birds (in your home) and that Opal is having serious problems flying even short distances without serious problems.

 

[reeb]

Flight is what a Bird's body is designed to do! If a bird that has never been clipped and was allowed to fledge, they should have little to no problem flying and flying with length.



If all of that is true, you have only one place to start from and that is an in-depth evaluation of the primary support systems for flight!



- The first is the Heart, as a failure of any part of the Heart will not allow the needed blood flow to support flight. It is important to understand that it is rare that ANY vet will check with depth the function of the Heart as the vast majority of Companion Parrots are non-fliers.

- The Air Sacks (lungs). The proper and rapid transfer of oxygen into the blood stream occurs here. Without the needed oxygen, the flight muscles cannot function. As with the Heart, our Vets are looking at Blood tests will a lesser interest regarding this issue.

- The flight Muscles, represent the transfer of energy to the fight surfaces. Without the strength and supporting oxygen, the bird cannot continue to fly any distance without the heavy extensive breathing.



Clearly one or all of those systems is (are) not operating to the needed levels.



If your Parrot has either heart or air sack problems, training the muscles becomes a death sentence! Hence, the need to verify the health of those systems first.



To assure that Opal has the health to support flight, you need to meet with your CAV and tell s/he that you fly your birds (in your home) and that Opal is having serious problems flying even short distances without serious problems.

Thank you. I will be sure to make an appointment with the vet.


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[FlyBirdiesFly]

Very strange... my birds are all excellent fliers. They also do laps around the room just for fun. Check Opal’s wings for any missing flight feathers.

 

[SailBoat]

The reason, I elected to go the direction I did was your statement that Opal was breathing heavy after a fairly short flight!

The loss of tail feathers will reduce specific flight functions. example: High speed turns, and rapid addition of height or decent in landings or take-off.

 

[reeb]

Ah, I checked his wings this morning. He is missing a few feathers, but I see them growing back out from his molt. I think maybe he gets tired because he struggles to flap enough to get height, so when he does get height it’s a bit of an effort? He doesn’t pluck his feathers or anything (I watch my birds pretty much all day every day), so he’s probably just having a very uneven molt? Any thoughts? I will still make an appointment tomorrow for the vet.


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