Free Flight Considerations

Questions to ask yourself before starting your free flight journey.

Species of Bird

What species do you plan on flying? 

What is their natural behaviour like in the wild? How well do you know the natural inclinations of your species of choice? 

What is their general ability for establishing a relationship with humans? 

Have you discussed their strengths/weaknesses with other free-fliers? 

Would your species of choice be okay flying solo long-term, or would it be a better idea for that species to fly with a flock for safety against predators? 

If you are training more than one bird, how are you going about it? Are you making sure to train and/or build a bond with each one individually? Do you understand that flock dynamics can be complex and that you cannot expect to suddenly begin flying a handful of birds together successfully outdoors, regardless of how well they do indoors? 

Are you flying these birds at liberty from a familiar outdoor aviary/home-based location, or are you taking these birds to a flight location? Do you understand what can be different about these two situations?

Consider Your Bird 

What is your bird's developmental background like? Were they clipped and/or kept in a small cage during crucial stages of brain development? Did they learn how to fly at the natural age in an appropriately stimulating environment for the cultivation of both physical and mental abilities? 

How old is the bird? How far past the natural fledging stage are they? 

Was your bird reared in a household where they learned to trust and be close to dogs, which can present as dangerous predators in the outdoors? 

Has your bird developed any maladaptive behaviours or phobias as a result of previous negative treatment that may suddenly manifest given certain stimuli they experience outdoors? 

What is your bird's physical fitness level? Have they practised all they could indoors? 

Do they respond to you with contact calls when you're out of sight? Do they demonstrate some basic understanding of locating you by sound? 

Is your birds recall immediate and consistent around competing motivators? 

Are you ready to subscribe to the motto "Better safe than sorry", to apply critical judgement in the face of what you want to do or think would be fun? Are you ready to view your bird as an entity capable of exercising complete autonomy and freedom where, once unrestricted outdoors, its choices are the final determination in whether they come home with you or not--and is that decision best for the bird in question?

Preparing for Outdoors 

What is your bird's comfort level with the outdoors? Have they practised at least a little bit of flying in some type of outdoor enclosure such as an aviary or batting cage, if possible? 

Can they handle blinding sunshine as well as cloudy skies? Wind? What level of wind? Rain? What amount of rain? 

Have they seen all the common birds they are likely to encounter once outdoors, such as songbirds, seagulls, crows, geese, and vultures?

Have they heard their calls? 

What about airplanes flying directly overhead? Have they heard the sound of cars and trucks rumbling and honking? 

What other strange sights and sounds might they encounter at the place you intend to fly? 

Are they sufficiently socialised and confident so as to not panic if they see a novel object?

Are they too socialised and willing to land on and go home with anyone?

What's your game plan for when you take the bird outdoors? 

Does the bird have a strong social bond with you, have you implemented food management, or both? Are you just taking the bird out and hoping for the best, or do you have a routine to follow? 

How long will you take the bird out for each session? 

Do you know, based on the type of bird you have, how they will most likely react when spooked?