Question about wild parrots

[NewBirdLover]

Hi

I'm very new to the bird world. Just got a house and am feeding wild birds. My neighbor has a caged parrot. I'd like to get a parrot, but I really don't want to keep a parrot caged. It seems unnatural to me to keep birds in a cage. I know there are views from both sides. My question is a little different. If I got a parrot, is there any way to have the parrot be free in the yard? Would the parrot know to come back for food or hang out in the area? I wouldn't want to clip wings. I'd like the bird to fly as nature intended. Would it fly away never to be seen again? Please forgive my utter lack of knowledge about parrots. I know I will have to do more reading. I just was contemplating it and before I spend any more time on this, I'd see if anyone could give me a quick answer. Maybe this is just a very silly whim. I just always loved parrtos. I admit I haven't a clue about everything that is involved. Can I attract wild parrots? If anyone could give me some direction, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

Jo -

[liz]

Welcome to the forum.

NO

The parrot can be free in your house or a screened window if you want him to have exposure. No matter how much you love him and he loves you it is still a wild animal and will return to the wild even if it can't survive.

My two Amazons are free in the house. Most of the time they hang out around their cages. Rambo is 20 years old and does not fly. He is a pedestrian . Myrtle is 1 and can fly but prefers to hang out in her area and on her jungle gym and swing. She will fly out at times, when she is scared or wants me to hold her.

I sometimes let my cockatiels and love birds loose but they tend to stay in the sunroom flying and investigating.

[laducockatiel]

Well, u should probably buy a cage but just keep your bird in it at night. It will go in when it is hungry. If you want to take your bird outside you can get a flight harness which you put around the body and the birdncan fly but not too far. If you want to do this then you should train it flight recall so it can fly to you. Research flight harnesses to see if you would get it for your bird.

[liz]

Hi

I'm very new to the bird world. Just got a house and am feeding wild birds. My neighbor has a caged parrot. I'd like to get a parrot, but I really don't want to keep a parrot caged. It seems unnatural to me to keep birds in a cage. I know there are views from both sides. My question is a little different. If I got a parrot, is there any way to have the parrot be free in the yard? Would the parrot know to come back for food or hang out in the area?


My birds are loose in the house. I would never ever ever let them loose in the yard to play like the wild birds.INSTINCTS WILL OVER RIDE TRAINING AND YOU WILL LOOSE IT TO THE WILD WHERE IT WILL DIE WITHOUT IT'S OWN FLOCK.
Liz



I wouldn't want to clip wings. I'd like the bird to fly as nature intended. Would it fly away never to be seen again? Please forgive my utter lack of knowledge about parrots. I know I will have to do more reading. I just was contemplating it and before I spend any more time on this, I'd see if anyone could give me a quick answer. Maybe this is just a very silly whim. I just always loved parrtos. I admit I haven't a clue about everything that is involved. Can I attract wild parrots? If anyone could give me some direction, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

Jo -

[parrotsareyay]

Cages aren't as unnatural as you think. Parrots treat it as their "evil lair of destruction, world domination, and cuddles". Despite nomadic lifestyles in the wild, in breeding season, they will stay in a cavity until their babies leave, which could be half a year every time they make a family. Cages may be at least at night every day, but its not 100% unnatural. Parrots seem to treat it as home base

[liz]

My cockatiel, Bubba, flew out but stayed outside the sunroom in a tree for two days trying to get his mate to come out. He finally gave up and flew away with the wild birds when they moved on.

If he did not have a mate he would have been gone right away.

[Zanizaila]

No, as you say, you are very new to the bird world. And then it's very good that you actually take the time to ask questions and learn.
But many who are new to birds think that a bird - whether it be a parrot they bought or a crow they stole from a nest - will follow them wherever they go and always come back home.

That's not how it works, I'm afraid, the bird will disappear.
BUT, for someone like you who doesn't like cages and thinks birds should be free (I'm 100% with you there), there is one option, which is free flight. Not all birds can do this, and not all people should do this, but some people train their birds for a long time, and can then let the birds fly, under supervision, outside.
But I don't think even the most experienced free flyer would ever consider having the bird outside all the time, just so you know.

One of the "requirements" I had for myself before I got my macaw, was that I will try to free fly him. If I never succeed in training him so much that I can trust him to come back outside, then at least I will let him "free fly" inside from time to time, like in a gymnastics hall. (I sometimes go to schools to teach them about birds, and I think I could "borrow" their halls a little... )

But it takes years of training for you and the bird. I will probably not dare do it in the open until I am basically a professional bird handler.
Now, if you're interested in this, you have to keep in mind that not every bird species is suited for this. I would never do it with Saga, a small Meyers parrot, because they are rather skittish and easily spooked, and would also easily become a meal to a hawk.
A macaw though, is larger than most hawks we have here at least.

Amazons are bigger and often more confident than smaller birds like Poicephalus or conures, but still - they are green. Hard to spot high up in a tree.
They say the best birds to free fly are cockatoos and macaws. Or, a large, colorful, loud bird. (Like a Scarlet macaw, which I have. )
Chris Biro is quite a known name among free-flyers, and he has a few videos on YouTube worth checking out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVPqZtOWuwY

[liz]

About ten years ago I had a pet chicken. She didn't know she was a chicken and stayed in the yard with the dogs and cats. At night she would come into the sunroom to roost. One evening on her way in a red tailed hawk swooped down and grabed her. She was about the same size and he could not pick her up. He ripped her back off, feathers, skin, fat and even the tissue between the muscles were gone. With six weeks of nursing her she pulled through and grew everything back.(I believe in miracles and GOD did a miracle in front of my eyes when I watch how he replaced the ripped off parts.)

A Parrot, even a Macaw, would not have had a chance. It would have flown and been killed in mid air or worse. If it was injured it would try to hide in the trees or under bushes quietly. The owner would not find it in time.