Harnessing a clipped bird. I need convincing.

[LPolliard]

I agree a harness would be a precaution worth undertaking for some bird species that are strong flyers. The Cockatiel is one such bird with it's slender body and long wing span. I have an Eclectus and comparatively they are less of a strong flyer. On top of this my bird shows no inclination to fly, preferring to walk and excercising his wings seldom. Chico also follows me everywhere I go not allowing a gap of more than a few yards. He is either on my shoulder or up off the ground on a wall. I have a long low wall where I walk him. I am always vigilante of other pets, specially the small dogs that were bred for killing small animals like Jack Russells. Also I am cautious of placing him in places where he could climb out of my reach although I don't think he would. He isn't prone to being startled. This is a characteristic of the species. (Is Eclectus a species?). I think it would take a hurricane gust to lift this Spruced Goose off the ground and I wouldn't have him out under such conditions.

What are the pros and cons? What are your thought on this subject?

Pro - More control in some situations.

Con - I believe the harness will damage his beautiful feathers.

I am considering flighting my bird and if I do then harnessing becomes a no-bird-brainer.

[marie83]

Well I know no matter how careful you are about anything there are always exeptions to any rule but I don't feel we should wrap our pets/children etc up in cotton wool. That said I do think that every possible precaution should be taken when it comes to taking our birds outside whilst giving them some freedom.

If used for short periods of time I really don't see why a harness would damage feathers and even if it did cause a slight problem then I would still harness the bird. I really don't understand why anyone would take the risk of taking an unclipped bird outside, too many people have been caught out like this.

No matter how steady or unfrightened your bird it I'm pretty sure it hasn't encountered everything that could possibly scare him and it only takes the once to lose a bird forever. Personally I've heard of many stories of people losing clipped birds but not a single one of a person losing a bird that has been harnessed and secured correctly.

[GlassOnion]

Harnessing doesn't ruin feathers, it shuffles feathers around temporarily.

Tons of clipped birds get lost if you look on parrotalert.org
A slight freak or a gust of wind can make the bird flutter into a bicycle, traffic, little kid, etc
You need a harness. The feather issue is ridiculous, it's not even an issue.

[sidech]

Why do you say Eclectus are not strong flyers ? Where is that coming from ? In the wild, the males fly 30-50 km per day to go feed their many mates. They are very good flyers.

I harness Jazz, he is lightly clipped. Why would I take such a big risk ? I've heard of people losing their Ekkie outside, it doesn't just happen to other species.

[macbrush]

Although I am still very new to parrot keeping, but from all the lost bird posts that I have read from many local forums, many of those birds were wing clipped. Even a non-fligted always-clipped bird can fly surprisingly great distance with some wind if they get scared enough. A slight blip of a Harley Davison engine back fire nearby is enough to send any bird a mile or more, clipped or not!

Pro - You don't need to clip the bird anymore. Preventing the bird from getting away if used properly, you can also use extension to let the bird do some short flights.

Con - If used without care, a got away bird has a chance that the harness get caught in the tree branch or other objects, and stuck, if that happen in a hidden place, it is likely the bird will die.

[LPolliard]

Why do you say Eclectus are not strong flyers ? Where is that coming from ? In the wild, the males fly 30-50 km per day to go feed their many mates. They are very good flyers.

I harness Jazz, he is lightly clipped. Why would I take such a big risk ? I've heard of people losing their Ekkie outside, it doesn't just happen to other species.

I said compared to a Cockatiel they are not strong flyers. I have seen fully clipped Cockatiels fly. I just don't see my big boy flying far while fully clipped. His weight is appropriate at 455 grams but he just seems girthy and his wings stubby, IMO.

Why do you 'lightly clip' Jazz if you harness him?

[Shelby]

I think it would take a hurricane gust to lift this Spruced Goose off the ground and I wouldn't have him out under such conditions.

What are the pros and cons? What are your thought on this subject?
Pro - More control in some situations.
Con - I believe the harness will damage his beautiful feathers.
I am considering flighting my bird and if I do then harnessing becomes a no-bird-brainer.

First of all, birds are built for flight, even the ones that we think would not be able to fly... I have heard too many stories of clipped birds flying away with just a little wind when the owners didn't think it would ever happen. Also, a clipped bird that has not built up its wing muscles and been flight trained won't know how to navigate wind and fly back, so in many unfortunate cases, the bird is lost forever or at the mercy of whoever finds it. All it takes is one time where your bird is startled a little and jumps and find himself soaring away with no idea how to get back to you!

Pros - your bird won't be lost in sudden wind, more peace of mind for you, and you can teach some short outdoor recalls without worrying it will fly away (let's face it, it can be nerve-wracking to toss your expensive little friend into the air and hope he likes you enough to come back when you call!) You will also be able to take him in public places and worry less that somebody might try to snatch him from your hand or grab him as he flies by if you're doing recalls.

Cons - if you let go and he flies away, it could get caught on a tree. I recommend tying/clipping it to your pants or belt. I can't trust myself to hold onto a balloon, let alone a live animal, so I think tying the harness to some part of you is safer than just holding the handle.

I definitely think that letting his flight feathers grow out is a good thing! Just make sure you train him so he knows how to fly. That will make it a lot safer when he goes outside, so he'll be able to get back to you if anything does happen. Michael has articles on his blog about teaching birds to fly if they've never flown before.

[sidech]

Why do you say Eclectus are not strong flyers ? Where is that coming from ? In the wild, the males fly 30-50 km per day to go feed their many mates. They are very good flyers.

I harness Jazz, he is lightly clipped. Why would I take such a big risk ? I've heard of people losing their Ekkie outside, it doesn't just happen to other species.

I said compared to a Cockatiel they are not strong flyers. I have seen fully clipped Cockatiels fly. I just don't see my big boy flying far while fully clipped. His weight is appropriate at 455 grams but he just seems girthy and his wings stubby, IMO.

Why do you 'lightly clip' Jazz if you harness him?

I lightly clip him for training purposes. He is still very young and needs to learn more manners before being allowed to fly around more. It's just stopping him a bit, for now. That's just how I do it.

[LPolliard]

It has become a moot point. I have decided to allow Chico to grow back his flight feathers after seeing videos of the harness in action. The harness seems very effective and not at all clumsy or restrictive for the bird. I just placed my order for the Aviator Harness in green. I thought I would get Chico use to it in advance and once I have one I have no good reason not to put it on when he is outside even if he is still flight handicapped. I always thought how sad for our birds to have to clip their wings. 15 years ago when I last keep a parrot, harnesses were unknown to me. Heck the internet unknown to most. We believe Chico is 20 years old and probably never has flown. I guess I will have to read up so I can help with his training. I hear Michael has some information on this site somewhere. Any other suggestions for resources?

[pennyandrocky]

i actually had to teach my first bird to fly. he was never clipped but was caged for about 16 yrs,when his flight feathers grow instinct will most likely take over like it did with my cockatoo if he holds onto his cage bars and flaps he's building muscles for flight.i'm happy for you and chico there's nothing like seeing your bird fly for the first time.