How to Fly Pet Birds Safely - RSPCA
What is wing clipping or trimming?
This is when up to 10 of a bird’s main wing feathers on both wings are cut with scissors. The feathers grow back every year.
Does it stop birds flying away?
Wing clipping will not stop your bird flying, but it will stop them flying upwards when they are indoors.
It might not stop them flying away when they are outdoors, because any wind will let them gain height.
Why is wing clipping bad for your bird?
Behaviour
The Animal Welfare Act says that pet owners should do all they can to meet their pets’ needs. To do that, you should think about what your bird would naturally do in the wild and try to give them similar experiences.
In their natural habitats, birds fly – often for many miles – to find food or to escape from danger. It is their main way of moving around – and pet birds have exactly the same need to fly regularly.
If a pet bird feels afraid, but can’t fly away from a frightening situation because their wings have been clipped, they can become stressed, nervous or aggressive.
They may start plucking their own feathers out, because they are distressed or because they are aware of their clipped feathers and feel the need to keep cleaning them.
Health
- Regular, safe flying, even indoors, is important to keep your bird fit and well. Just like we benefit from a run or workout, flying helps your bird build their muscles. It’s the only way they can get cardiovascular exercise that raises their heart and breathing rates.
- If your bird can’t fly freely, they will lose fitness, may become overweight and could be more likely to get sick.
- When your bird gets scared, they will naturally jump into the air to start flying. They can’t control this because it is a reflex action. But, if their wings are clipped to stop them flying upwards, they may fall and get a serious injury.
- With clipped wings, your bird could even find it hard just to balance when sitting or walking.
Clipping injuries
During wing clipping, new, growing feathers (known as blood feathers) can get damaged by accident and bleed very heavily.
Birds naturally moult and replace their wing feathers. Clipping can damage blood feathers as they grow in and lead to bleeding. If this happens repeatedly, your bird might never be able to fly again.
How to keep your bird safe without wing clipping
Do's
- Train your bird to accept simple commands, such as flying to or from you on request.
- Keep your bird in a large aviary with a porch and double-door entry to stop them escaping, or give them a large indoor flight area where they can fly free for at least six hours each day. Keep doors and windows shut when they are out of their cage.
- Read our enrichment page for tips on making sure they can fly, climb, forage, perch and hide safely in their aviary or indoor space.
- Microchip or ring your bird so that, if they do fly away, they can easily be identified and returned to you when they are found.
Don'ts
Never let your bird fly freely outside unless they are in a secure enclosure.
Don’t walk around with your bird on your shoulder – you might accidentally take them outside with you and they could fly off.