# Free Flight Training



## Keyphone (Sep 8, 2020)

Anyone successfully train their cockatiel to free fly and are there any sources that personally helped you achieve it?


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## Daytontiel (Feb 24, 2019)

I did. I learned all by myself, I watch a lot of youtube videos about bird training. That was not a easy way to learn. If I look back right, I think I made lots of mistaken. I highly recommend you get a local mentor for free fly training. There is recent topic discussing about free fly , I just can't find the post.

Here is my post about Billy's first flight.








An exciting Day- Billy's First Free Flight


Today is such a amazing day! Billy who is young cockatiel born in my house did his first free flight outside in my backyard. Billy is very attached to me, so, I decide to do some recall and free flight training. To me, it's all a dream to my pet birds can free flight outdoor. Today, I put...




www.talkcockatiels.com





I can tell you one thing, free flight can be dangerous to bird but, the flight training is good for recovery of lost bird. Here is my recent experience:

Billy recent had experience a Cooper hawk attacked, he did successfully out maneuver the Cooper hawk, and he was in panic mod after the attacking. He could not find me immediate. He flew over a tree line to an area he barely flew before , and this happened just before sun down. I was not able to locate him, and he did not answer my flock call/whistle. I also saw a hawk flew around that area. My heart was very heavy, I though Billy was MIA. The next morning, I heard bird noise seemed, I stepped out of my house, and whistled not Billy called back. I thought that was not Billy. I whistled again, then, I saw a bird flying down from top of tree, that was Billy. Billy flew on to my shoulder, I was so happy. Billy was able to navigate back home. 

I more and more agree that every pet bird should get some recall training, not necessary to the free flight training level, but at least to a level making lost recovery more easier.


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## Keyphone (Sep 8, 2020)

Do you still take Billy out for free flights?

I mainly want to learn it so I can take my cockatiel out without putting a harness on her.


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## Daytontiel (Feb 24, 2019)

I do not as free fly Billy as much as did before. Here, from September to later October is the hawk migration season, it is not a good time do free fly. This is the time racing pigeon trainer will not let pigeons fly outside either. 

If you have adult cockatiel, the training process can be longer. Since yours already uses a harness, I am sure she already goes through the desensitization of the outdoor environment stage. You need give her solid recall training indoor and outdoor, and fly down from high to low training. You should be able to free fly her after all training. If you are able to setup a temporary net cage outdoor for recall training, the progress can be very fast.


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