Our $1,500 Bird Flies Off…
I’m only half kidding 
My Brother has been focusing really hard for the last few weeks on learning how to ‘outdoor free flight’ parrots. Outdoor free flying parrots is something neither of us has tried before and we wanted to take our training to that next level… beyond just fixing behavior problems.
So we’ve put together what I think is one of the most entertaining web pages we’ve put together in a long time that documents the training process we went through with Cressi, our Congo African Grey (Dave’s Congo African Grey)… and my brother’s first attempts at free flying parrots outside.
Click here to let us share our experience with you!
Enjoy!
Chet Womach
Oh… and one more thing. I happen to think the page you are about to see is one of the most intriguing pages anyone’s put up on the internet about parrots in a long time. I honestly believe what my brother has trained his bird to do is one of the most beneficial things you can do for a bird’s mental and physical health.
So if you happen to own a animal website that could help promote the awareness of this type of training, even with a small link, it would be greatly appreciated.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:17 am
While I have not been successful at teaching tricks, I free fly a sun conure. The hardest part to teach has been getting him down from very high trees. He can now dive bomb directly back to me like a bird of prey. At first he had to circle to come back.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Chet and Dave,
I recommend looking into falconry if you are really interested in training your birds to free fly. You should at least look at the equipment a typical falconer uses to train birds for free flight and make adjustments for smaller birds. I suggest looking at equipment sized for Kestrals and small hawks. This would be a great starting point to make certain your free flight birds won’t send you up a tree during the initial training.
I think northwoods falconry is a good outfitter, but it is expensive. You can start looking at anklets, jesses, and leashes and then if you really want to make sure your bird doesn’t get away you can invest in radio telemetry.
Andy
March 11th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Aloha, I bought your training videos when my Blue and Gold was about 3-4 mos. old, and quickly ended up joining http://www.freeflight@yahoogroups.com, the one Dave recently joined.
My Toby has been free flying for over 2 years now. It is an awesome experience that I never tire of. We go out flying almost every day. I have lots of video footage of her incredible flights but not the capability (so far) of getting them on YouTube.
March 11th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
If you get the chance to send us some pictures of your B & G free flying that would be awesome.
Chet
March 14th, 2008 at 9:58 am
That is awesome. Have you, or those you know, tried clicker training your birds? It works amazingly well with dogs, and cats, and horses… I bet it would be a great way to train free flight with birds too.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:16 am
i have been freeflying parrots outside for almost four years now. the website above is full of photos from our days in new york, flying around central park and hudson river park. they were the only parrots flying in gotham and my girlfriend and her parrot join us in flying the beaches of san diego, which makes for some stunning backdrops. if you or anyone is interested in learning how to train the behavior properly, i moderate a yahoo group dedicated to teaching proper freeflight training so you don’t have to worry about your parrot ending up in trees and not coming down for hours. its called parrotrecalltraining an i encourage anyone interested in signing up. oh jesses and other falconry training equipment are NOT a good idea for use with parrots; the leg structure is different and are more easily injured by restraints.
happy flying!
hugh
March 31st, 2008 at 5:36 am
I’m so glad Hugh commented on Andy B’s suggestion to use falconers’ equipment as he did.
Birds of prey have adapted to catching and holding heavy weights in their feet while they fly. A parrot has not developed this skill (no need). Their legs can break or dislocate if they are restrained by their feet or legs and try and fly.
March 31st, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Does anyone knows if you can take your parrot with you in an airplane?
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Shew, after recently checking that free flight technique on you tube it was brilliant.I just wanted to ask you something i have an african grey as well but he keeps my granny company>so I only see him 3 hours a week is it possible to teach that technique in that space of time? My grey also wont eat anything accept is pellets and seeds caan you help?
Thanks
Gids
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Oh and 1 more thing we found the african grey on our doorstep
April 14th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
hello there.
my name is max. I have a free flight alexandrine. Would be great to communicate with u. I like ur blog. Please - write me on my mail - scar_max@mail.ru
tnx
this is our photo - here we fly in deep russian fall;)
April 14th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Depends on the airline. Each has different rules about what kinds of birds they will or will not take, and where they will be during flight. I like Alaska/Horizon Air. I am able to take my Ducorps cockatoo in the cabin with me, in a travel crate that fits under the seat.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
[...] » Our $1,500 Bird Flies Off… Heres a site that can help. (they did this for outdoor flight training, but you can do it indoors also!) [...]