The detrimental affects of clipping a baby bird (my experience)

[StormyPica]

2 years ago, I got Stormy. He was fully fledged, and only clipped as a 9 month old once he came to the pet shop. I could see how this affected his confidence. He was energetic, happy, brave, and full of life.

Then, I got Picasso. She was clipped since her first flight feathers grew in and she had a totally different confidence level. She was shy, scared, had dull eyes, and gave up easily. She spent most of her time being overwhelmed at every sight, sound, and touch.

Now, I'm facing the same issue with my new bird, Apollo. He is overwhelmed easily, has weak bones, and gave up flying before he even tried.

These are the horrible affects of clipping the wings of baby birds. They need to fly for confidence, mental health, bone growth, and so much more. I'm ok with clipping an adult bird's wings if needed, but why a baby's? Baby birds need to fly to gain muscle, confidence, and strong bones.

Here are some articles on the subject:

Wing Clipping - How Does It Affect a Baby Bird's Development?

Wing clipping a bird before it learns to fly has the potential to inflict the most serious consequences compared with any other time in its life.

parrotvolancy.com

Should I Clip My Bird's Wings? - Flight vs. Wing-Clipping Overview

Is clipping or trimming your bird's wings necessary? Is wing clipping healthy for a parrot? Most bird stores won't tell you the truth about clipping wings.

parrotvolancy.com

The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine is the only exclusive avian and exotic veterinary hospital in New York City.

The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine is the only exclusive avian and exotic veterinary hospital in New York City.

avianandexoticvets.com

 

[BirdyBee]

I agree. I don't agree with clipping in general, but I am 100% against clipping fledglings! I'm also against clipping secondary flight feathers or only one wing.

When I got snowy, we clipped her wings, all feathers, not a single one remained unclipped. Luckily she can fly properly, but she still has difficulties. I'm surprised she can fly at all! I promised myself and her that I will never, EVER clip her wings again unless absolutely necessary.

 

[foxgloveparrot]

Agreed. I'm extremely against clipping in general, unless it's for a medical reason (blind bird, etc).

 

[paimonandeula]

Agreed. I'm extremely against clipping in general unless it's for a medical reason (blind bird, etc).

Same. I usually find it selfish. People claim they are clipping their bird's wings so they don't fly away or get hurt. Just birdproof your room/house! You are taking away a flight from BIRDS. Thats sad.

 

[BirdyBee]

Same. I usually find it selfish. People claim they are clipping their bird's wings so they don't fly away or get hurt. Just birdproof your room/house! You are taking away a flight from BIRDS. Thats sad.

I slightly disagree here. Often some birds need to be clipped because they had multiple severe injuries from flying into stuff. While you shouldn't clip your bird just because they flew into a window once, it can be necessary if they fly into objects a lot and get severely injured from it.

 

[foxgloveparrot]

I slightly disagree here. Often some birds need to be clipped because they had multiple severe injuries from flying into stuff. While you shouldn't clip your bird just because they flew into a window once, it can be necessary if they fly into objects a lot and get severely injured from it.

I do see your point, Pipp. Some birds keep flying into stuff, there's no way to stop them. But I still see clipping as a last resort. With enough training, it's almost always possible to teach the bird to stop flying into everything...and I would refuse to stop trying. To me, clipping just seems that bad.

 

[zERo]

I think clipping shouldn't be done unless absolutely necessary. My lil Billy (budgie) nearly had a fatal accident, he was clipped when I got him, all of his primaries nearly up to the shafts. Of course I made his cage accessible, with easy climbing boings and ropes; every once in a while though, he would fall, all the way to the ground, from the top of his cage, only like 2-3 times it happened, you could hear a 'thump' sound, each times he did that I'd pick him up and check for bruising or a broken keel, but the last time in happened, this was when his first two flight feathers were 1/4 a way grown he fell again, he just stood their on the ground standing in a hunched position with his wings open, I picked him up and their was a cut, about an inch long going down his keel, I could see the muscle under his skin, their was no blood. He's okay now, and healed quickly, now he flies around like a maniac with the other budgies. Most of my birds wings were clipped when I got them, my QP, Tony, his had been clipped just 3 weeks before I'd adopted him, he still isn't very confident to fly, he has all his flights though. My GCC was clipped when I got him, he didn't jump from perch to perch or fly around in his cage like he does now, he just slowly climbed around, now all his flights are here and he's so confident! He flight trains well. I think my Billy should be a lesson that clipping could be okay if the bird absolutely has to be, but babies especially should never be clipped. I just think being able to fly makes a bird much more sure of itself.

 

[Terry57]

Clipping is a hot topic. While I completely agree that fledglings should never be clipped, this has devolved into an attack against all clipping.
People make the decision they feel is best for their birds.
None of mine are clipped now, but they have been in the past and I would do it again if I had to.
So let's please keep this civil.

 

[Laurasea]

I slightly disagree here. Often some birds need to be clipped because they had multiple severe injuries from flying into stuff. While you shouldn't clip your bird just because they flew into a window once, it can be necessary if they fly into objects a lot and get severely injured from it.

I think this can be confusing,
Birds that have learned to fly and fledged , and had the chance to learn practice and perfect flight. Don't crash into stuff, they are precision flyers. My Pheobe loves to dive and zoom at top speed skimming off the floor by an inch then up to the ceiling and lap the room.

The ones that are crashing around are usually the ones that were clipped when babies then allowed to grow out flight feathers and learning to fly sometimes before all flight control feathers are back in, and or not given enough chance to practice and improve. Sometimes older burds finally given the chance have weak undeveloped pectoral muscles and it can take a long time to get good.

Penny my quaker rescue had been kept clipped for over 10 years. It took so long for her to learn, she was so fearful of falling terrible at landing. It took 2 years to get good. I don't think she will ever be as awesome as my others. But she no longer ever crashes into anything even if spooked.

 

[Deleted member 42416]

Clipping is a hot topic. While I completely agree that fledglings should never be clipped, this has devolved into an attack against all clipping.
People make the decision they feel is best for their birds.
None of mine are clipped now, but they have been in the past and I would do it again if I had to.
So let's please keep this civil.

It is such a personal decision that also is specific to the situation. We have very large picture frame windows all over the house. When I first got Angelo and Zazu, they were untamed and I did not want them accidentally flying into any windows. I clipped their first 5 primaries bilaterally. They were fully flighted adults at that time. They could still do some flight and flutter/land safely, but could not get significant lift. I was able to do training like “step-up”, recall, and window familiarity during this time. By the time their flight feathers grew back in, the basics were down and they could enjoy flight safely.

 

[foxgloveparrot]

It is such a personal decision that also is specific to the situation. We have very large picture frame windows all over the house. When I first got Angelo and Zazu, they were untamed and I did not want them accidentally flying into any windows. I clipped their first 5 primaries bilaterally. They were fully flighted adults at that time. They could still do some flight and flutter/land safely, but could not get significant lift. I was able to do training like “step-up”, recall, and window familiarity during this time. By the time their flight feathers grew back in, the basics were down and they could enjoy flight safely.

I’m gonna politely disagree with clipping for taming birds. A clipped bird can’t get away from you, so they have no choice but to stay on your hand or wherever you want them to be. The bird might not actually love you, but just has no way of getting away from you.

 

[Terry57]

I’m gonna politely disagree with clipping for taming birds. A clipped bird can’t get away from you, so they have no choice but to stay on your hand or wherever you want them to be. The bird might not actually love you, but just has no way of getting away from you.

If a bird is clipped correctly, they can still fly, but can't get enough speed to kill themselves by slamming into a window in panic. I have lost 2 birds that way over the years.
If a bird doesn't like you, they have their beak to let you know.
I do not believe in forcing a bird to do anything. You can tame a clipped bird in a gentle way, as all birds should be trained and bonded with and achieve the same results of taming them fully flighted.

My Green Cheek, Jax, has been attacking me every time I walk into the room. This has gone on for months now. He was clipped when he came to me, and I let his feathers grow out because he was not happy.
I currently wear a hoodie when I am in the room to keep from being attacked. He almost took my eye out a month ago.

I have not clipped him, and am trying to work with him, but many people would not be willing to wear a coat to go in and spend time with their birds.
If he had not been so depressed before, I would have clipped him by now.

 

[foxgloveparrot]

If a bird is clipped correctly, they can still fly, but can't get enough speed to kill themselves by slamming into a window in panic. I have lost 2 birds that way over the years.
If a bird doesn't like you, they have their beak to let you know.
I do not believe in forcing a bird to do anything. You can tame a clipped bird in a gentle way, as all birds should be trained and bonded with and achieve the same results of taming them fully flighted.

My Green Cheek, Jax, has been attacking me every time I walk into the room. This has gone on for months now. He was clipped when he came to me, and I let his feathers grow out because he was not happy.
I currently wear a hoodie when I am in the room to keep from being attacked. He almost took my eye out a month ago.

I have not clipped him, and am trying to work with him, but many people would not be willing to wear a coat to go in and spend time with their birds.
If he had not been so depressed before, I would have clipped him by now.

And many birds are extremely unhappy when clipped. Some, however, seem unaffected by it...I’ve seen plenty of both cases.
But I also believe that clipping affects physical health as well as mental, because it can lead to a lack of exercise. And even with great shredding toys, because flying is the best exercise for birds.
But everybody can have their own opinion.

 

[StormyPica]

If a bird is clipped correctly, they can still fly, but can't get enough speed to kill themselves by slamming into a window in panic. I have lost 2 birds that way over the years.
If a bird doesn't like you, they have their beak to let you know.
I do not believe in forcing a bird to do anything. You can tame a clipped bird in a gentle way, as all birds should be trained and bonded with and achieve the same results of taming them fully flighted.

My Green Cheek, Jax, has been attacking me every time I walk into the room. This has gone on for months now. He was clipped when he came to me, and I let his feathers grow out because he was not happy.
I currently wear a hoodie when I am in the room to keep from being attacked. He almost took my eye out a month ago.

I have not clipped him, and am trying to work with him, but many people would not be willing to wear a coat to go in and spend time with their birds.
If he had not been so depressed before, I would have clipped him by now.

Yes, I do agree that clipping can be really important in many situations, but I just don't agree with clipping fledgelings, as they then don't develop a strong and healthy body. However, sometimes clipping is needed, and I'm NOT against that.

 

[StormyPica]

Also I'm really sorry you lost 2 birds that way, Terry

 

[Terry57]

Yes, I do agree that clipping can be really important in many situations, but I just don't agree with clipping fledgelings, as they then don't develop a strong and healthy body. However, sometimes clipping is needed, and I'm NOT against that.

I completely agree.
And I believe it's time to get back to your original post about clipping baby birds.
This is an important subject, and that is beginning to be lost because of the side talk of clipping period.
If we want people to listen, we need to educate and if someone sees people stating things about clipping in a blaming way, we lose any chance for that to happen.

 

[Terry57]

Also I'm really sorry you lost 2 birds that way, Terry

Thank you, Stormy. It was years apart but was heartbreaking both times.

 

[Deleted member 42416]

They had the choice of coming out of their cage to interact and they very much wanted to. Training was all with positive reinforcement. Angelo was very treat motivated and would move Heaven and Earth for a seed.

Kevin was just learning how to fly; I had no intention of ever clipping his wings since he was already tame. He flew into a window and died. I still wouldn’t clip a young bird learning how to fly. Again, every situation is different.

A picture: My birds, fully flighted, choosing to be with me, nuzzle my ears, or play with my hair…doesn’t seem like they were forced to submit or have any lack of love or affection:

 

[BirdyBee]

I've got a feeling that this might turn into a heated debate especially if some people on the wing-clipping side of the debate comes.. we should really be careful guys because I don't want any of us or the mods to deal with fights and have to delete/edit replies

we're also getting a bit sidetracked, this is only about clipping fledglings and not really about adult birds or other situations

 

[StormyPica]

I completely agree.
And I believe it's time to get back to your original post about clipping baby birds.
This is an important subject, and that is beginning to be lost because of the side talk of clipping period.
If we want people to listen, we need to educate and if someone sees people stating things about clipping in a blaming way, we lose any chance for that to happen.

Yes, and I am totally open to civil discussion about wing-clipping on here, but PLEASE, stop blaming people who clip. Terry's example is great, some birds are fine, but some are high-anxiety and crash into things, resulting in serious injury or death. In those cases, clipping is totally justified.