As for letting Oliver fly, I can't think of anything more beautiful and natural but I live in Florida (with ceiling fans in each room) and I'm often outside at both of my homes, which are near the ocean leaving me too afraid I'd lose him.
I lost the smartest CAG in the whole world (yes, I'm biased!) because I took her outside with me thinking she could not fly. I kept her clipped at the advice of her previous owner and at the time I did not question this. Maui decided to glide to the grass from my shoulder and the wind took her. She flew into a very high tree and I could not get her down. I sat under that tree for two days begging her to come down. On the third day I walked home and miracle of miracles she followed above me, flying from tree to tree. This was a bird with the proper clip mind you. When we got back to my yard she landed in a tree about 25 feet up. I got a ladder and climbed as close as I could to her. She watched me and I thought for sure she was going to climb down to me but instead she took off again and this time the wind took her into a huge pine tree up the road. I raced to follow her and she flew farther away into the woods. I looked for her for 2 weeks. It was horrible and it was entirely my fault.
I should have had a harness on her. This was long ago and I have learned a lot since. Maui introduced herself to me when her first owner brought her to me by saying, "put your shoes on and we'll go outside". Very clear, very exact talker. She asked for watermellon and yogurt. Wouldn't eat either one, the stinker. Carried on a long one-sided conversation she picked up listening to first owner's husband work from home. She was an incredible bird and I lost her.
Now I keep all my birds flighted because I know that this means I must be constantly vigilant. I KNOW they can fly. No surprises.
My routiine when birds leave bird room: turn off ceiling fans, lock front door, crate dogs if they are too alert that day. Yes, I suppose it is a pain, but I do it.
This is one of the reasons I worked so hard to build my outside aviary last summer and why I divided my living room to create a bird room where they can fly at will.
I have two birds who are unable to fly, Lolly and LaFitte. Lolly's primaries are stripped due to Feather Destructive Behavior so will not hold her weight. She truly drops like a rock. LaFitte has something wrong with his "wrist" on his left wing that is likely from an old injury. Much of the ropes and branches in my bird room is to accomodate those two.
I completely understand clipping. I was there. I now do things differently because I also understand fatty liver disease and the likelihood of Eclectus suffering from an early death. Flying and a lean diet at least give them a better chance, IMO.
When they go outside, regardless if they can fly, they wear a harness or are caged, except in the aviary of course. I also built the pass through to the aviary becasue I did not want to take the chance of carrying a bird from the house to the aviary and losing them. I know people who crate the bird to take it to the aviary and things happen. One was bending over to open the crate and didn't realize the aviary door wasn't completely shut. Bird flew off. Things can happen. We learn from each other.
