Wing Clipping: a Bird Owners Best Friend

Many bird owners think that getting their bird's wings clipped in inhumane. They think that birds should be allowed to be fully flighted in order to have a full and happy life. I contend that unless you have an aviary or a completely bird proof house, this may be a bad idea. These little guys are not free. In most cases keeping your bird wings clipped is the better idea. Yes a flighted bird can theoretically get more exercise and be healthier. However, I think the risks of keeping the birds flighted are worse than the downsides of clipping.

First, there is the risk of your little guy flying away. We try to be careful and not leave windows open and make sure the bird is secure. Accidents do happen. Someone leaves the door open when the bird is out. There is some kind of mishap with the travel cage during transport from the car. If the bird can fly, he or she can be up and long gone in seconds. I have heard heart breaking stories about how birds have flown away and never come back. Clipped birds can usually get some distance, but they can't get the altitude or the speed that they could if they were not clipped. You have a better chance of catching them. It is still going to be a challenge, but your odds are better.

The next issue is that the birds might injure themselves. Birds can do quite a bit of damage to their bodies by crashing into walls, landing on dangerous surfaces and over shooting their landings. One bird I have, cannot land to save his life. It is like watching someone who can't stop on ice skates throw themselves into the barrier wall to stop. Beaker crash lands nine times out of ten. He has had some rough landing and has even broken a blood feather in the process. I have another bird who was actually not flighted, but he was able to flutter over to my Christmas Tree and he burned himself on one of the lights. Birds are like children, we try to keep an eye on them and make sure they stay safe, but we can't watch them all the time and even when we are watching they can sometimes get the better of us.

One of the other issues with not clipping your birds is what I like to call "playing catch the birdie." It is when one of your feathered friends decides that they want to play...or just not go back in the cage. This is when they fly out of your reach. Then when you go to fetch them, they fly off again to another location where you cannot reach them. This can be very aggravating. As someone who has had to play chase the birdie with four birds, I really do not recommend it. It is a great way to get cardio, but frustrating for you and at times terrifying for the bird. Not to mention, if the bird chills out on the window blind runner for hours on end, where do you think the bird droppings go? Yeah, your blinds, and the floor.

Yes, having your bird fly about the house may sound like a good idea. However, are you ready for the possible consequences that might bring?