Welcome to Northwest Avian Flyers!
We are a group that is interested in promoting the health of our companion birds by giving them the opportunity to fly in an indoor space that is larger than most homes can provide. We believe that exercise leads to increased health and well-being for creatures whose bodies evolved over eons for the purpose of flight. This can be quite an adventure for both the bird and the human. We advocate flight training in stages to reduce stress and achieve the greatest enjoyment of this activity.
To help you understand just what this idea of having a flighted bird is all about, we suggest checking out some of the websites mentioned below. Although few of us free fly (that is, flying unrestricted outside) because we prefer to fly indoors, we have learned quite a bit from people who do free fly their birds and have generously shared their thoughts and information with us.
Please take a moment to to go Chris Biro's website, www.wingsatliberty.com. There is a lot of good information there.
The next question anybody will ask is, "Why fly your birds?" The Shyne Foundation has many great articles that discus that question.
Another good article on how important flight is to developing physiology for a parrot: Thinking On The Wing
Gay Noeth has also written an excellent article detailing the pros and cons of a clipped vs fully flighted bird. What do we do with those Wings?
A flighted bird requires some training. The first and most important skills that you should learn are teaching recall and targeting to different perches. For discussions and ideas on how to do this, you can view my website at www.flyingparrotsinside.com or you can check out the Parrot Forum chat group.
Also, Dr. Susan Friedman has a great set of articles that help explain the philosophy and theories behind her behavioral analysis solutions. These articles are also important reading for anybody who wants to undertake the art and science of training a flighted parrot: The Writings of Dr. Susan Friedman, Ph.D.
Again, welcome to the Northwest Avian Flyers. The one thing that we all have in common is our enthusiasm about the subject of flight and we welcome you in to the adventure. We are all still learning but we do believe that the most important thing is to HAVE FUN and enjoy your feathered companions!
Mona in Seattle
To help you understand just what this idea of having a flighted bird is all about, we suggest checking out some of the websites mentioned below. Although few of us free fly (that is, flying unrestricted outside) because we prefer to fly indoors, we have learned quite a bit from people who do free fly their birds and have generously shared their thoughts and information with us.
Please take a moment to to go Chris Biro's website, www.wingsatliberty.com. There is a lot of good information there.
The next question anybody will ask is, "Why fly your birds?" The Shyne Foundation has many great articles that discus that question.
Another good article on how important flight is to developing physiology for a parrot: Thinking On The Wing
Gay Noeth has also written an excellent article detailing the pros and cons of a clipped vs fully flighted bird. What do we do with those Wings?
A flighted bird requires some training. The first and most important skills that you should learn are teaching recall and targeting to different perches. For discussions and ideas on how to do this, you can view my website at www.flyingparrotsinside.com or you can check out the Parrot Forum chat group.
Also, Dr. Susan Friedman has a great set of articles that help explain the philosophy and theories behind her behavioral analysis solutions. These articles are also important reading for anybody who wants to undertake the art and science of training a flighted parrot: The Writings of Dr. Susan Friedman, Ph.D.
Again, welcome to the Northwest Avian Flyers. The one thing that we all have in common is our enthusiasm about the subject of flight and we welcome you in to the adventure. We are all still learning but we do believe that the most important thing is to HAVE FUN and enjoy your feathered companions!
Mona in Seattle
