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Avian
Wing Clipping
 Birds who have free flight within the home are a greater risk of danger than those with clipped wings. Clipping the wings is a painless process, and in fact, a temporary one because the flight feathers will grow back with each successive molt. The objective of wing clipping is to create a bird that cannot generate upward lift, but has the ability to glide downward to prevent injury from a fall. Wing clipping is safe when performed properly. Larger parrots typically require fewer feathers to be clipped than smaller birds, whose lift is more easily generated due to their size. Before attempting to clip a bird's wings, some preparatory work is required.
When the wings are clipped, proper restraint should be applied. The bird's chest must not be restricted, because it cannot breathe. The head, both feet, and the opposite wing should be restrained for the bird's safety. This is best performed by a second person. The wing being clipped should be held at the base of the humerus, not by the feathers, because again, injury could occur if the bird should flap the held wing. The first four or five primaries (10-6) should be clipped, each one individually at the base of the rachis (shaft), below the area where "feathered" portion starts on the shaft.. The overlying covert should not be cut. If the first one or two (10 and 9) primaries are desired to be left for aesthetic purposes, then an additional primary may require trimming. This method is not recommended for smaller birds. The procedure is repeated on the opposite wing and then the bird should be tested in a "safe zone" where obstacles are removed and carpet or something soft can break the fall. If blood feathers are encountered (these are feathers which are actively growing, and contain a dark purple or black shaft that is blood), then the clipping should be delayed until the feather has reached maturity, usually several weeks. Information Provided by Kaytee |
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Understand the wing shape and terminology of its feathers. Only the primary feathers on BOTH wings are clipped. The primary coverts, secondary feathers and secondary coverts are not clipped. The reason both wings should be clipped is because a bird with only one wing clipped will have no balance and typically spirals during a fall, possibly causing great injury.