Should Parrot Owners Clip a Bird's Wings?
Choosing between a Wing Clip or a Fully-Flighted Bird
Aug 28, 2008
Every bird owner has an opinion on clipping wings. Some insist that a wing clip is essential for a pet parrot’s safety. Others maintain that birds were meant to fly and that the physical and mental benefits of flight outweigh any dangers. This article aims to present both sides of the argument without making any judgments.
The Case for a Wing Clip
Advocated of clipping wings point out that while parrots were meant to fly, they weren’t meant to fly indoors. A human home offers many dangers to a fully-flighted parrot, including:
- Chewing on electric cords
- Crashing into mirrors and windows
- Drowning in toilets or sinks
- Eating toxic plants, paint or other substances
- Flying into ceiling fans
- Landing on hot oven elements
- Other pets.
Wing clipping advocates also point out, quite rightly, that a fully-flighted bird can quickly get lost if it gets out of the home. They also suggest that a wing clip makes a parrot more dependent on its humans, and is therefore more likely to bond with them.
The Fully-Flighted Argument
Advocates of fully-flighted birds point out that a clipped bird can get into as much trouble as a flighted parrot. Birds with clipped wings are more likely to be stepped on if they are on the ground, and cannot fly away from other pets or aggressive birds.
While there’s no question a fully-flighted bird can get into plenty of trouble in a house, a few precautions can reduce the bird’s risk. Keep electric cords out of sight, remove toxic plants, and keep the parrot in its cage when cooking and until the stovetop cools down. Get into the habit of putting the toilet seat down.
Large aviaries and flight cages are perfect for fully-flighted parrots, providing enough room for the birds to fly and exercise. Proponents of keeping parrots fully-flighted point out that flying is the best possible exercise for a bird, and one of the most mentally stimulating. Free-flight advocates also suggest that enjoying flying helps prevent unwanted conditions in parrots such as feather plucking.
Free Flight
It should be made clear that this article does not equate fully-flighted parrots with the practice of free flight. Free flight is very different from a fully-flighted parrot living in a house, aviary, or flight cage and is extremely controversial. Free flight allows parrots to fly unrestrained out of doors.
Free flight is a very risky endeavor even with an exceptionally well-trained parrot. The risk of losing your parrot during free flight is high, not to mention the dangers the outdoors holds for a pet parrot. Anyone who practices free flight should be aware that each flight could be the last time they ever see their bird. Novice bird owners should not even consider attempting free flight.
So . . . Clipped Wings or Fully-Flighted?
Ultimately, the decision to clip wings or allow a parrot to remain flighted rests with the owner. Certainly leaving a bird fully-flighted demands more responsibility to ensure a safe, secure home for the bird. Also remember that like humans, parrots have different personalities. A laid back parrot may be reasonably safe fully-flighted, while an adventurous, risk-taking bird may need a wing clip for its own protection.
Fortunately, the decision to clip wings or not is not a permanent one. Flight feathers grow back as they are replaced with new feathers. Owners may clip a bird's wings and decide later to experiment with leaving their feathered friend fully-flighted. Or owners may decide to clip wings if a fully-flighted bird gets into too much trouble. Some parrot owners take a middle road. When their birds’ flight feathers grow back in they let the parrot be fully-flighted for a little while, then clip the birds’ wings.
Resources
Highfill, C. (January 1998). Wing Clipping: Why, When and How.
Parrot Chronicles. (n.d.). Should I Clip My Parrot’s Wings?
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