What to Say to People Who Think Flighting your Bird Is Like Abuse

[parrot14]

sometimes accident's happened. I believe this might be an extra ordinary things which could broke the 7 yrs solid bonding. Did the bird just go away and never come back? Something scared him/her to death? I have been freeflighting my fids for two years, my SC is the first freeflyer. Eloy if you could give the detailed informations on the cause, we will appreciate that.

 

[Mare Miller]

You don't, and can't, know how your bird is going to respond to a situation. In the atmosphere that Amigo is in, I feel he is as safe as a free bird, his size, can be. I would feel too responsible if I took him away from his home turf but...maybe he could handle it, not willing to try it, personally.

 

[Mudkips]

I agree, a solid bond holds no guarantee that a spooked bird will fly back.

I like to think of it in the extremes:
Danger: Us owners do everything we can to minimize the danger, but a free flying bird outdoors will always have the ability to get into trouble.
Safety: So you can minimize the danger by keeping the bird in a cage, indoors and clipped. But how boring is that? You need to draw a line in the sand where 'boring' ends and 'dangerous' starts.

I'm trying to balance two things: Owning a free flying bird, while also owning a bird I can carry on my shoulder in unnatural situations (e.g. at the markets). If I choose to let him to fly and experience new places with me, I have to be mindful that it puts him at increased danger. It's a very difficult balance to achieve and the line that separates 'foolish' from 'reasonable' is constantly shifting, but ultimately it's my decision.

She just gave me a look and said "I would never risk my birds life like that. That's so dangerous, but it's your bird..." and walked away.

The balance is subjective, and you should always be mindful of other people's opinions. She was right in some respects, but there was no reason for her to be rude about it.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6xJ44TLV4g&hd=1"]Birdy's Free Flight[/ame]

 

[Eloy]

sometimes accident's happened. I believe this might be an extra ordinary things which could broke the 7 yrs solid bonding. Did the bird just go away and never come back? Something scared him/her to death? I have been freeflighting my fids for two years, my SC is the first freeflyer. Eloy if you could give the detailed informations on the cause, we will appreciate that.

Yes the bird left from the shoulder and fly out to the ocean and later on drowned. I don't know what scared the bird, (perhaps a hawk or a seagull) the owner died in cancer the year after. Very sad story.
The bird have not being training in free flight but has never before left the owner. And that for seven years!

@Mudkips. Awesome clip!
I have Eloy as what you told, safety. But I say that he have a great life.
He is never in the gage, only for eating and sleeping. He has freedom, but not outside. (when don't have warm weather so many month a year either) When he is out I have a outside cage or the Aviator.
He is not having a boring life, and he is of course not clipped.

Safety is not boring and means wing clipped. But yes you have to work a little bit harder as the bird is free inside. If you free flight your bird (how long? 30 min/day?) if he is in the cage the other hours of day I prefer to have it my way. I Know that Eloy is feeling free, and thats important to me.

I have nothing against free flight outside.(so don't got me wrong)
I love to watch clip on YT. Birdtricks.com is awesome!
But I never dare to do it myself and risking to loose my bird.

 

[MonicaMc]

If proper precautions can be taken to ensure a bird is safe indoors, then I think free-flight indoors can still be great for birds! And heck, if you know of other owners with free-flight birds indoors, you could always look for a warehouse or large room with no exposed rafters/support beams to free-fly the birds in!

May not be as stimulating as birds out-doors, but it provides an entirely new dimension to pet birds indoors! It's healthy for them, helps to increase stamina and burn fat/calories (after all, we don't want perch potatoes ), as well as tiring them out so that they are less likely to do bad behaviors!

 

[MaraWentz]

I wish I could freeflight in doors, but Ir ent rooms out of houses lol, not happening arund here. It be amazing if I could. I'd turn the whole freeflight area into a replica of paradise- indoor waterfall with pool, trees, bushes, rock walls, etc

 

[Eloy]

And heck, if you know of other owners with free-flight birds indoors, you could always look for a warehouse or large room with no exposed rafters/support beams to free-fly the birds in!

Yes! I am thinking of that. A big Riding house (or what you called it) or something like that. I will loved to see Eloy enjoying to fly free at those areas. <3

 

[MaraWentz]

What warehouses or places are o guys going to that allows you to bring parrots for flight?

 

[Eloy]

This:

I only hope that Eloy wants to go home after a flight.

 

[MaraWentz]

ohhh I thought you meant like factory warehouses

 

[MonicaMc]

Most people around my area clip, or have birds that don't fly, even if they aren't clipped.

We (the bird club I belong to) usually meet once a month inside a building meant for community get together's. There's one large central room with a couple of support beams from floor to roof, a kitchen area (with two nice big stainless steel sinks! and a smaller one, too), bathroom area and I'm not sure what else. It's like a small house, without all the rooms of a house!

We probably go there around 9-10 times a year, with the other meetings held elsewhere, or no meeting due to an event. I've taken Charlie a couple times and had him flying around the room. He's the only one that has ever flown in there, on purpose, as far as I know.

 

[parrot14]

Sadly I never see any warehouse nor riding house arround here. The sporthall is always busy with activity. Never get permission for flying bird. Actually, the use of such hall is also suggested for training; e.g: fly from the height, you could read it here... nice story TWO UNUSUAL BIRDS AND AN UNUSUAL OWNER - FBwiki

 

[MaraWentz]

I checked everywhere there is not indoor equestrian center near me. I looked into freeflighting at our huge parks (some have old barn house or mills that are no longer in use) and they won't allow a flighted bird in there. Ugh you guys are lucky to have somewhere like that.

 

[Eloy]

I checked everywhere there is not indoor equestrian center near me. I looked into freeflighting at our huge parks (some have old barn house or mills that are no longer in use) and they won't allow a flighted bird in there. Ugh you guys are lucky to have somewhere like that.

Don't give up! If you ask to many times they could say yes.

 

[MaraWentz]

lol or they just wont answer darn caller id lol

 

[Mudkips]

I looked into freeflighting at our huge parks (some have old barn house or mills that are no longer in use) and they won't allow a flighted bird in there.

It's so sad when you can't even take your bird out to the park.
I mean really... What kind of mischief do they think a flighted bird could possibly get itself into?
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnrmrQWqL0o&hd=1"]Birdy Attack! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Eloy]

 

[Birdlover11]

LOL! You just never know...

 

[Remy]

Some of you guys are making me jealous. How do you free flight a bird that well? Are there any good books I should get?

Darcy might be a good candidate, and I think it'd be better for his health to let him fly.

 

[94lt1]

Well you wanna know why they don't allow birds at the park??

ANGRY BIRDS!!! I'm sorry... I had to