The Unintended Consequences of Living with Wings & Beaks

Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

It’s no secret I’m in favor of leaving birds flighted, especially now that I have Popcorn following me around the apartment in the morning as we get ready for work, a subject I speak about in this blog post.

Keeping Birds and Parrots Flighted

So I ask the following question:

“In spite of being prey animals, parrots have a great deal of confidence in the wild.

They have the absolute perfect defense – flight.

When we clip their wings we deprive them of this defense.

How many of you share the belief that flightless parrots are more apt to bite than birds who “know” they can fly away (from a threat)?”

Here are just a few of the several dozen responses:

Joy Bonham Robinson, I am a new parrot owner and just got his one wing clipped yesterday. So it’s recommended not to clip their wings?

Jodi ‘Williams’ Veach Mine is less aggressive when clipped. When flights grow back, he’s much more apt to bite–he can be downright confrontational! I clip for safety reasons, but the bonus is a calmer, all-around nicer bird!

Duane Ahlgrain’s “A place to land” is an award-winning documentary.

It’s only a couple of bucks and can be downloaded to your tablet, kindle, etc. The biggest thing I took from watching is, “…there are parts of a parrot`s air sacks/lungs that only get used when in flight”. A flighted bird is a healthy bird.

Only you can make the right decision for you and your bird.

Forgive me for saying this but (especially the big) Cockatoos are the Jekyll and Hyde of parrots, .

Cockatoos can be the softest most cuddly birds one minute and the next minute they will tear a 4-inch hole in your drywall.

This past TOOSday I asked: “Has your TOO chewed up any furniture?” Not surprisingly these are some of the more than 200 comments:

Kim Brooks Cormier Mine is a sneak chewer.

Let me turn my back for one second and BAM there goes the trim around the door, or a shoe, or anything else that happens to be there.

Mind you, I buy wood for her to chew that she has in her cage. She also loves to shred phone books.

You have to keep an eagle eye on her at all times

Floy-Dean DeLaune U better believe it! Blinds, keyboards (he especially likes the vowels and the F – can’t spell my name without them), books, buttons he loves buttons, holes thru the drapes, and the list goes on and on.

Lynda Stetson oh yes…furniture, pictures, stuffed animals, bed sheets and comforters, glasses, dolls, remote controls, electrical and cable wires, books, cabinets in the kitchen, etc, etc etc

A couple of suggestions I can offer are introducing chewing alternatives.

Here’s a great almost free bird toy that can keep any big bird busy for hours. For you, tool guys & gals watch one of my most watched videos ever.

Squawk at you next week
Thank you for being a subscriber
Mitch Rezman CMO
Windy City Parrot, Inc
Simply Everything for Pet Birds – Since 1993