Two things.....

[graceyann]

First of all.....the "bird bread was a HUGE success"......Freckles loves it. Fruit is still her favorite, so I packed it with minced pineapple, had mashed sweet potatoes, some left over acorn squash....pistachios, almonds, currants......made it in rounds, like drop cookies......she was happily munching on her breakfast cookie when I left for work.

And my question.....is it safe to take her outside with me? Spring is coming to Kansas and I do a lot of gardening......would like to have her with me, if it's an appropriate thing to do. Good idea? Bad idea?

Freckles likes car rides and I'm working on permission to bring her to my office occasionally. My starling used to go places with me......Wink would ride in a wicker basket and then wherever I went, she did too......my local grocery store knew her well......pretty sure I was the only customer they had with a bird that rode in it's own basket in their shopping cart.

 

[GaleriaGila]

In a travel or other caged, outside is fine, I believe, as long as directly observed.
But even if clipped, a harness is a must-use if they won't be caged.
Good luck!

 

[itzjbean]

Do NOT take your bird anywhere outside without a HARNESS. I've heard so many horror stories of the most well-trained free flighted birds being carried off by a breeze, or getting spooked by something and fly off, never to be seen again. You may think your bird is too 'attached' to you not to fly off, but if given the chance to escape, they WILL take it. A harness works the same way as a dog leash, you secure it around the bird so it can't fly away and you keep hold of the leash. It's the safest way to take a bird outside, or like mentioned above, keep them in a cage or carrier, though never unsupervised.

 

[DRB]

Never unsupervised.

And I also believe to keep them off the ground. I wanted to let Perjo walk around on the grass with a harness some day, my vet said "why?". He said there is really nothign there for her and you have no idea what is on your lawn. He said too much unknown and risk. His final answer was "highly recommended no!".

My alternative plan is to get an garden stake or sheperd hook to hang her travel cage if I'm outside in back yard. She enjoys watching me mow the lawn and wash the car. She feels compelled to vocalize loud enough to be heard over the lawn mower.

 

[graceyann]

you all are simply the BEST!!!! many, many, MANY thank yous from Freckles me

 

[Scott]

Another factor is terror from above in the form of raptors. Not sure what patrols the skies in Kansas, but California is home to all manner of hungry birds with huge talons and sharp eyes. I *never* take my birds outside unprotected.

 

[GaleriaGila]

YES to that, Scott... I have discovered that American Kestels are EVERYWHERE in Ohio suburbia, and they scare me. Back in New Mexico, I KNEW of two cases (of fellow bird club members) of shoulder-perching or outdoor-sunning in which doves and a parrot were snatched up by a Cooper's Hawk and a Red-Tailed Hawk, before their owners' eyes.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Smokey,the TAG,went outside with me...ONLY with a fresh CLIP!...and was NEVER more than a FOOT away from me!

We had ONE very,very,frightening experience when I first had her,and I was still "young and dumb" when it came to parrots.
She was lightly clipped,and something spooked her. She was able to get off the ground only a foot or so high,and she FLEW across my yard,across the street,and landed in a small bush at the end of my neighbors driveway,and out of the corner of my eye,my other neighbors CAT got into the "stalk" pose!
I reached Smokes before that dang cat did,he took of when I screamed..NEVER again did Smokey go out without a fresh clip,and ME right beside her!


Jim

 

[LeaKP]

Crows are also potential dangers....they eat anything...

 

[itzjbean]

NEVER again did Smokey go out without a fresh clip,and ME right beside her!


Jim

I'm surprised that experience didn't scare you enough to have your bird on a harness after that. Clipped birds can STILL fly in many cases.

As far as birds of prey goes out here in the Midwest, we have crows and hawks mainly. Still a very dangerous venture to bring any type of parrot outside.

 

[DRB]

There's many perspective on clipping on not clipping expecially relative to the bird being outside with you.

If clipped the bird might not get far, but it also will not be able to get away in times of danger. If not clipped it might be able to get away to survive danger, but can also get far away and might not return.

 

[Scott]

YES to that, Scott... I have discovered that American Kestels are EVERYWHERE in Ohio suburbia, and they scare me. Back in New Mexico, I KNEW of two cases (of fellow bird club members) of shoulder-perching or outdoor-sunning in which doves and a parrot were snatched up by a Cooper's Hawk and a Red-Tailed Hawk, before their owners' eyes.

We've all heard the stories; cannot think of a more guilt-inducing event. A mistake that is so avoidable.