So when do lovebirds start to fly?

[lovie_couple]

I was wondering when Gigi would start to fly? Like fly fly. He is roughly 6 months old, but only seems to have one flight feather on one side. He will sometimes fly to the floor on occasion but he doesn't fly at all other than that. When do flight feathers start to grow in?

[linda040899]

Gigi has already been through his first molt at age 4 months. It sounds like his flight feathers may have been clipped after that. If that's the case, it could take another 4-5 months for all of those clipped feathers to molt out and grow back. The next major molt takes place at roughly 12 months and that should bring back most, if not all, of those feathers that were clipped. Feathers can be replaced between major molts so you may see a few begin to come back before that.

Lovebirds tend to be very strong fliers so Gigi may not need all flights back on both wings to become airborn. He's not flying now because he can't get the "lift" he needs indoors. However, what can't/doesn't happen inside can be a completely different story outside. Updrafts from the wind outside can enable an indoor flightless parrot to take off and go considerably further than many a surprised parrot owner would have expected!!

[lovie_couple]

I don't think his feathers could have been clipped, I got him as young as 5-6 weeks, if you remember.

I don't have a hatch date, But I'm thinking around the end of April beginning of May. He was supposed to be about 10 weeks when I got him, but you said he was probably 5. He seemed to get his speckled forehead about mid October. Which I know that usually starts around 4 months. However, if my timeline is correct, it would be 5 months for him. So I was wondering if maybe he was behind development wise?

[linda040899]

Can you post a photo of Gigi with at least one wing spread so we can see what the flights look like? If he only has 1 flight feather, I'd venture to say that he was clipped before you got him and he never learned how to fly. In the meantime, I'm going to go back and take another look at the photos you've posted to see if I can see anything that indicates he's been clipped. It sure sounds like it.

[lovie_couple]

I'll sort through the pictures I took last weekend, and take some more when I get home. I didn't even know you could clip that young. :(

[lovie_couple]

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x190/lucky_girl123191/IMG_0037.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x190/lucky_girl123191/IMG_0023.jpg


Here are two photos from last weekend. He seems to have only one flight feather on the right side. When it was growing in it really bothered him. Every time he would flap he would squeek after in pain as if his feather was bent wrong or something. It would get tucked in odd positions and he would squeal until he fixed it somehow. But he doesn't do that anymore.

[linda040899]

I was looking at a few of the other photos that you've posted of Gigi and I'm fairly certain that those flights were clipped before Gigi came to live with you. :( A photo of one wing spread would tell the story but if I'm right, Gigi never learned to fly and he may not ever fly. Young lovebirds are usually fearless and flying/taking off doesn't scare them like it does an older bird. Older birds are more cautious but I won't say it's impossible for them to take flight. It can happen but it may not.

The reason the new feather was so bothersome is because new feathers have blood supplies in the shaft and they are sensitive. Touch one the wrong way and you could be rewarded with a sharp nip for your efforts. Just one feather had nothing to support it as it was growing in so that didn't help matters, either.

I didn't even know you could clip that young. :(
You can but it's a totally unacceptable practice.

[lovie_couple]

I wish I could shut those people down. :( They obviously didn't know how to care for birds responsibly. One guy thought it took two years for birds to loose the black on their beaks. I was appalled over the lack of knowledge by someone who claimed to have owned one.

I hope he will learn how to fly. He doesn't seem to be too scared over it. He jumps from high places sometimes, even though we try to keep him from doing this! Don't want him to get hurt! I know he has tried to fly from my shoulder to my Dad's once or twice.

Though I will say maybe this is why he prefers to step as far as he can rather than jump to another perch or shoulder.

[lovie_couple]

What would be the best way to hold Gigi while doing a wingspread? I have a feeling he won't be too willing lol

[linda040899]

You can probably do double duty on this kind of photo. Try doing a head scritch and just gently take the outside edge of one of his wings and outstretch it.

[mangokiwi]

That is so sad. Your poor birdie!

One of my lovies didn't have her first molt until almost 7 months old. And she was healthy and happy from day 1.

However, seeing just one unsupported flight feather makes me so nervous! It is easy for them to get broken. I would do your best to keep him from hitting it on anything (which I know is hard!) and keep flour on hand to stop any bleeding! 1 of our birds broke blood feathers at least a half a dozen times during his first molt.. but the other didn't break any. Just keep an eye out! If it's suddenly at an odd angle, I would definitely check it out.

I hope everything turns out good!

[lovie_couple]

Thanks for the advice! Sadly I did not get a photo this weekend, he just would not be still for us! I will try again next weekend.

I need to have an emergency birdy kit actually. lol He is constantly doing something weird.