Letting pet birds like parrots, cockatiels and budgies fly freely in your house may seem like a great way to allow them to exercise their wings.
However, there are some important considerations to keep in mind before allowing your feathered friends free flight around your home.
The Benefits of Allowing Pet Birds to Fly Freely
Allowing pet birds to fly freely in designated areas of your home provides some benefits including:
- Exercise – Flying allows birds to fully extend and flap their wings which is great exercise for them.
- Preventing boredom – Being able to fly around the house provides mental stimulation and prevents boredom in pet birds.
- Natural behavior – Flying allows birds to engage in natural foraging and exploring behaviors.
- Bonding – Supervised flying time allows pet birds and owners to bond as the bird flies freely between owners.
For many pet bird owners, allowing their birds to fly freely is an enriching experience that allows the bird to behave more naturally. It provides much needed exercise and mental stimulation.
Risks of Allowing Pet Birds to Fly Freely
While free flight can be enriching for birds, there are also some potential risks including:
- Injury – Birds can injure themselves by flying into walls, windows, ceiling fans, or other objects.
- Escaping – An open door or window can allow the bird to escape the home and become lost.
- Dangerous areas – Birds may access dangerous areas like kitchens with hot surfaces, bathrooms with toxic cleaners, etc.
- Destruction – Birds may chew on woodwork, destroy plants, unravel fabric, and make other messes.
- Fright – Loud noises or movements can startle and frighten a freely flying bird.
Bird owners have to weigh the risks of potential injury or escape against the benefits of free flight.
Precautions should be taken to try to minimize these risks.
Key Considerations Before Allowing Free Flight
If you want to allow your pet bird to fly freely, here are some key factors to consider:
Bird Size and Species
Very small bird species like budgies, lovebirds and parrotlets may not be ideal candidates for free flight. Their small size makes them more prone to injury and more likely to find dangerous hiding spots.
On the other hand, large parrot species that are fully flighted and highly aerial like macaws and cockatoos tend to do well with supervised free flight.
Flight Ability
Pet birds with fully developed flight skills, good maneuverability, and that demonstrate recall to their owners tend to be the best candidates for free flight. Birds that are weak or clumsy fliers may need supervised practice before being allowed to fly freely.
Bird Temperament
Nervous, anxious, or easily frightened birds may not handle free flight well. Bold, confident pets that bond strongly with their owners tend to do better. Ensure your bird is comfortable flying back to you before allowing free flight.
Proofing the Environment
To prevent escapes and injuries, thoroughly bird proof any area your pet will be flying in. Block fireplaces, cover mirrors, shut windows and doors, remove ceiling fans, and move harmful objects. Install bird safe screens on windows if possible.
Supervision
Never allow pet birds free flight in an unsupervised area. Have at least one attentive person present to monitor the bird, prevent escapes or injuries, and react if the bird seems distressed.
Training
Invest time into recall training your bird before allowing free flight. Use treats and praise to reward your pet for flying back to you or their cage on command. This will allow you to get them back safe if needed.
Setting Up a Bird Safe Free Flight Area
To set up a safe space for your pet bird to freely fly follow these tips:
- Choose an enclosed room with no open windows, doors, or ways to escape.
- Completely bird proof the area by covering mirrors, blocking fireplaces, removing plants, wires and other chewing hazards.
- Make sure the area is free of ceiling fans, wall mounted fans or portable fans.
- Consider setting up bird safe netting or screens on windows and doors as an added precaution.
- Remove fragile breakable objects and anything that could be knocked over or pulled down.
- Ensure the space is temperature controlled with no drafts.
- Have supervised practice flights before leaving a bird unsupervised.
A spare bedroom, large bathroom, or section of the living room closed off with a gate can work well for free flight. Ensure there is space for the bird to fully extend and flap its wings.
Tips for Safe, Successful Free Flight
Once you have a safe setup and a trained bird, consider these tips for free flight success:
- Start small with 5-10 minutes of supervised flight time and slowly increase over multiple sessions.
- Keep practicing recall training using praise and treats until your bird reliably returns on cue.
- Fly your bird before meals when it is most food motivated.
- End each flight session on a positive note with a successful recall and reward.
- Watch for signs of fatigue like panting and loss of altitude which means it’s time to stop.
- Have a towel on hand to potentially retrieve your bird if needed.
- Remain calm. Sudden movements or yelling can startle a flying bird.
- Consider wearing glasses and tying back long hair for safety.
- Carefully supervise interactions if other pets are present.
- Monitor for any signs of stress or injury during and after flight sessions.
With proper preparation, training, supervision, and a bird-safe environment free flight can be an enriching experience. Always put your bird’s safety first and end the session if they seem distressed or tired.
Potential Risks to Consider Before Attempting Free Flight
Here are some of the biggest risks pet owners should carefully consider before allowing birds free flight:
Escaping Outdoors
If a free flying pet bird escapes your home and gets outdoors, it likely will not survive. Indoor pet birds lack survival instincts and can’t find food or shelter. Some ways birds can escape include slipped open doors/windows, flying through ceiling fans, or being spooked outdoors. Take precautions like screening windows and only allowing flight in an enclosed room.
Collision Injuries
Pet birds allowed to fly indoors can lack maneuverability and injure themselves by flying into walls, windows, mirrors, ceiling fans and more. Block off any glass or plexiglass barriers and cover mirrors. Check for and remove ceiling fans in the flight area. Keep breakables out of reach. Watch for any wobbly or clumsy flying.
Predation
Other household pets like dogs and cats can potentially injure or kill a free flying bird, even accidentally. Carefully supervise all interactions. Dogs should remain leashed and cats kept in another closed room. A startled cat could knock down or grab an inquisitive landing bird.
Toxic Exposure
Birds allowed to fly freely can access toxic areas like the kitchen or bathroom when owners aren’t looking. Ensure all chemicals, cleaners, essential oils and other toxins are securely out of reach. Supervise closely.
Exhaustion
Uncontrolled or extended flying can quickly exhaust a pet bird to dangerous levels. Watch for signs of fatigue like panting and wobbly flight. End the flight session immediately and allow the bird to rest. Forced flight beyond limits can be fatal.
Weigh risks versus rewards carefully for your individual bird. Proper precautions and planning can reduce risk and allow safe free flight.
Ideal Bird Species for Free Flight
Not all bird species are well suited for free flight. Here are some species that tend to do well with proper training and precautions:
African Grey Parrots
African grey parrots are extremely intelligent and bond strongly with their owners making recall training easier. Their large size and maneuverability allow safe controlled flights. Supervise closely around any household dangers.
Cockatoos
Cockatoos like umbrellas and moluccans are natural climbers at home in tree canopies so free flight feels innately natural to them. Their size allows good control and lift. Ensure plenty of interaction to prevent boredom induced mischief.
Green Cheek Conures
Though small, green cheeks are agile flyers and easily trained thanks to their intelligence and affectionate nature. Allow short well-supervised flights in an enclosed area and watch for any signs of tiring.
Macaws
Large macaws like green wings and scarlets are powerful adept fliers that thrive on free flight when given enough space. Their strong legs allow easy climbing and landing. Macaws form close bonds with owners which facilitates training.
Poicephalus Parrots
This genus includes hardy parrot species like senegals, Meyer’s, and brown headed parrots. They are sturdy, skillful fliers with even temperaments well suited for flight. Their medium size allows good maneuverability in tighter spaces.
Always supervise carefully, even with more flight adept species. Know your individual bird’s temperament and abilities before attempting free flight.
Bird Species Not Ideal for Free Flight
Here are some types of birds generally not considered good candidates for unsupervised free flight:
Budgies
Budgies are petite parakeets that lack stamina for sustained flights. Their small size also limits maneuverability and increases injury risk. They are easily startled so recall training is challenging.
Cockatiels
While able fliers, cockatiels have more clumsy flight skills. Their small size and crest make navigating tricky. Better suited for supervised flight only in enclosed areas free of hazards.
Conures
Conure species like suns and jendays are feisty, distracted fliers. Their small size limits flight control. Supervise closely or opt for flight suit training instead of full free flight.
Lories and Lorikeets
Though agile, lories and lorikeets tend to have weak flight skills over distances. Their high energy level also makes training focus difficult. Better suited to large outdoor aviaries than indoor free flight.
Lovebirds
Lovebirds like peach-faced are tiny, careless fliers often described as “a disaster waiting to happen”. Their difficulty focusing and tendency to crash into objects makes free flight ill-advised.
Consider a bird’s natural abilities, temperament and environment before allowing free flight privileges.
Important Precautions to Take
If you decide to allow your pet bird free flight, here are some key precautions all owners should take:
- Fully bird proof the intended flight area by covering windows and mirrors, removing fans, hiding wires and eliminating choking hazards.
- Practice recall training using favorite treats until your bird consistently returns to you or their cage upon command.
- Always carefully supervise your pet during free flight sessions to prevent escapes, injuries or accidents.
- Watch closely for signs of fatigue like wavering flight and immediately end the session if noted.
- Consider having your bird wear a lightweight flight suit or diaper to manage droppings.
- Keep other household pets securely separated during free flight time.
- Check your bird closely for any signs of injury after landing including bleeding, limping or bruising.
- Gradually increase free flight duration over multiple sessions as your bird builds endurance.
- Remain calm and avoid sudden loud noises or movements that could startle your bird while flying.
Proper planning, training, supervision and common sense precautions can allow your bird safe, enriching free flight time.
The Ideal Free Flight Environment
To best set up an indoor area for your bird to safely fly freely, incorporate these elements:
- Choose an enclosed room with no open doors, windows or ways for your bird to escape outdoors.
- Eliminate or block any glass, mirrors, plexiglass or other transparent barriers your bird could crash into.
- Cover any fireplaces, remove ceiling fans, and take down hanging plants or lights.
- Ensure the area is free of other pets like roaming dogs and cats.
- Take out any fragile breakables or items that could be knocked down like vases.
- Make sure the room has a comfortable temperature for your bird and no drafts.
- Include your bird’s cage in the flight area with treats for easy luring back.
- Have a clear flight path free of furniture your bird could perch and poop on.
- Consider setting up netting over windows and doors for an added layer of escape prevention.
- Keep a towel on hand to toss over your bird if needed for retrieval.
- Remain fully focused on your bird during the entire supervised flight session.
Ensuring your bird’s flight area is well-prepared and safe helps make free flight sessions more successful and reduces risks.
Commands to Train for Successful Free Flight
The following commands are useful to thoroughly train before beginning free flight with your bird:
Step Up
Teach your bird to reliably step onto your finger or hand from their cage and perch spots when given the “step up” command. Use treats to reward.
Come
Say “come” and reward with treats when your bird flies over and lands on you. Practice from short distances and increase.
Return
Use “return” as a command for your bird to immediately fly back to you or their cage. Reinforce with treats each time.
Land
Train your bird to go to a certain perch or land on the top of their cage with a “land” command.
No
Say “no” sharply and interrupt with a treat redirect when your bird lands or flies where unwanted. Discourage roof sitting, curtains, fans etc.
Down
Command “down” for your bird to return to the floor. Provide a perch or mat they know to go to for treats.
