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Flying with Wild Flocks

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Flying with Wild Flocks

Postby felix11 » Fri Mar 11, 2011 4:02 am

hello all!

I live in Australia, and there are lots of rainbow/scaly breasted lorikeet flocks that visit our backyard.
My goal is to eventually free-fly my bird outside, any I was wondering how the wild flocks might affect this. I'm worried that if she is very close to the wild birds, a flock mentality might kick in, which is something I know happens to other flock birds (like jackdaws, crows and ducks). By this I mean that when a bird sees a group of birds fly off, that same instinct kicks in and they fly up with them, before they realize what is happening. I don't want Pony to accidently fly away with a flock of birds and get lost!
When I have previously taken Pony outside, the lorikeets are very curious about her. If she is on a perch, they fly nearby to hang upside down and chirp at her. I don't think they are being aggressive at all (unlike other wild birds, like Mynahs).
Has anyone had any experience flying a bird in a situation where there might be other wild parrots around? I have heard of lost birds joining wild flocks (especially in australia, where they can often join a flock of their own species!), but I don't know if this is a slow development or not.
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Re: Flying with Wild Flocks

Postby zazanomore » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:12 am

I know with birds, when someone starts to flee, so will they. When your bird ever gets startled, and you chase him to get him back, that will only frighten him more.

That is something I would be really worried about when taking him out when wild birds are around.

Also, I don't think they would accept a green cheek into their flock. They could attack him for being different. Besides, lories have completely different diets than green cheeks.

Have you considered buying an aviator harness? They have available long leashes. You could have your bird flying around, yet you would still be in control.
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Re: Flying with Wild Flocks

Postby Kim S » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:11 am

I know this probably has been said before. But I would never free fly my bird outside.
Not only is he in danger of flying off with a wild flock. He could be startled by a dog barking or a car passing and fly off. He could be picked up by the wind while flying and, panicking, will start flying even faster, and away from you.
I think flying off with a wild flock would be the least of your worries since he will be in a group and will be able to pick up how to survive on his own. If, of course, the other species are willing to accept him in their flock.
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Re: Flying with Wild Flocks

Postby Mona » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:05 pm

Two things:

Lories are very aggressive birds. Especially compared to a small conure. I would really be worried about what a Lory might do to a conure.

Second, Yes....birds will fly off in a flock. We fly in a fly building with many different species and when several birds take off, any bird that is insecure and a little nervous, will also take off and fly with them. Fortunately, we are in a building so the walls keep the birds contained. I don't fly outside.

Just a few thoughts....

Thanks

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Re: Flying with Wild Flocks

Postby felix11 » Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:49 am

Yes it's true they could attack her for being an unknown species. But Lories already live in mixed flocks - scaly-breasted and rainbow (two totally different sizes, obviously) - which is why I consider it a possibility that she could be accepted, at least for a short while. Although I'm not sure how well a green cheek would do on a nectar and fruit diet, and hopefully Pony will never have to find out.

I've got an aviator harness - I like it very much :)

Of course there are many, many dangers that come with flying outside. I think the key is to have an extremely well practiced and socialized bird. I would never fly my bird outside if I hadn't previously found her able to cope very well with a huge variety of stresses, including wind, cars, birds, dogs, etc. A panicked bird is something I want to avoid at all costs. At the moment I've been working on exposing her slowly and methodically to a variety of potential stresses like the ones above.
I do think that these dangers can be overcome. It is not an inherent behavior of animals to fear the familiar. A bird that is as comfortable and capable in an outdoor environment as an indoor one should have no trouble keeping in control of itself in either situation. The challenge is to get her to that stage, but I think that it can be done, through controlled exposure for prolonged periods of time - like wind training in a fenced run, and outside walks on her harness, etc.
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