# Training to Recall training and eventually fly outside with harness



## Copper (Nov 26, 2011)

I'm working on training my cockatiel to recall indoors. Her wings are clipped so it's only a distance of 6 or 7 feet but the exercise and training is going really well.

I'm also letting my Galah cockatoo's wings grow back in, I'm going to wait until they're completely in before started her on recall. I've seen her fly before, but because she rarely did because she doesn't have the muscles yet. She's currently going through a big molt and her 2nd finger feather fully grown in, and her 1st is halfway on both wings.

Here's some pics I took of Dante's recall training. I whistle to him like you would call your dog.


I have her fly to a chair for exercise



























and then recalling


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

That's pretty cool! I had one tiel that would fly to me but I never actually taught it to her. She loved me so much that she would fly to where ever I was as soon as she heard me!


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## Xodus (May 23, 2011)

I'm trying to teach connor to recall. How do you start getting him to fly to you? I've been holding him on my finger with my arm all the way out and saying "Come here connor" while patting my chest and he almost always runs or flies to my chest, but once I set him down somewhere he won't fly to me at all.

Edit: Every time he gets to my shoulder or chest regardless of he flies or not, he'll get a treat and praise.


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## Copper (Nov 26, 2011)

Xodus said:


> I'm trying to teach connor to recall. How do you start getting him to fly to you? I've been holding him on my finger with my arm all the way out and saying "Come here connor" while patting my chest and he almost always runs or flies to my chest, but once I set him down somewhere he won't fly to me at all.
> 
> Edit: Every time he gets to my shoulder or chest regardless of he flies or not, he'll get a treat and praise.


It just takes a lot of motivation and patience. Try putting Conner on a perch in a separate room from his cage, hold out your hand, and just keep saying whatever command you want to use until he eventually comes. Make sure to give him the treat as soon as he fly's to you while saying good(if your using a clicker, click first then offer the treat). if he try's landing on your shoulder, on the floor, or anywhere other then your hand don't give him a treat during the training. 

Keep your training sessions short, only 5-15 minutes and make sure to always end the session before your bird does. You want to keep them interested and wanting more. You'll also want to use his favorite treat.

Eventually he'll figure out what you want 


@Roxy culver
That's awesome, did she do it on command? My friends cockatiel is fully flighted and lands on peoples heads lol


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## Em&Me (Jul 31, 2011)

roxy culver said:


> That's pretty cool! I had one tiel that would fly to me but I never actually taught it to her. She loved me so much that she would fly to where ever I was as soon as she heard me!


My Emily is the same way


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## morla (Aug 15, 2011)

That's awesome!


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

Dude is good at coming on command.... he has been taught to land on out stretched arms... sometimes he is a naughty boy and lands on heads but 95% of the time he lands on the arm where he is suppose to.(no treat of head scratch if he lands on the wrong place) He learnt by me putting him down somewhere high and taking a step back. when i say "Come on Dude... Dude Dude Dude.... come on Dude" he comes... and when he comes be gets a good head scratch. then i did it again a step further....etc. until i was in a totally different room. He does it so well now.... and has done for a while now.
it's easier for your bird to fly down from a cupboard or on top of a t.v or something.... makes it harder for them if they are coming up from the floor or somewhere low like a coffee table. but once they have it down pact then it doesn't matter,they will come from anywhere to be with you and get that head scratch.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I'm going to do recall training with Luna once his wings grow out. He got a pretty nasty wing chop before we got him so he just skids to the floor when he tries to fly. =/ The good thing is though, that he has flown before..and out of hand since he wasn't tamed, that's why his wings were clipped (but it wasn't a professional breeder so it's bad).


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## Copper (Nov 26, 2011)

Dante's wing's where clipped to much too, I was holding her since she was scared and struggling and I didn't want someone to smother him because most people don't understand how a birds body works. luckily I made sure they left the last feather so she fly's ok still. He only has 4 secondary's on each wing. After I got her home I trimmed them again to make the wing have a smoother line and to cut the each straight so they weren't pointed.

I started touch training Dante, he's very good at it. using a clicker seems to open up a sudden understanding when training birds, it's amazing how fast they respond when they hear a click the instant they do the correct behavior.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Luna doesn't even have full secondary feathers. They're all chopped; he's a spirited little guy though so i'm eager to see him fly once he gets his feathering back. He's hitting 3 months old right now so maybe he'll get an early molt (some do at 4 months), that would help him out so much. Kirk is finally getting his primaries back in but i don't think he had ever fledged (poor guy) but he's getting better. He really had to work on turning, anytime he flew before it was straight to the wall but now he usually saves himself right before he hits it and does a 180! So proud of him..now we need to build his confidence before any training.


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## Copper (Nov 26, 2011)

That's horrible they where clipped so badly! The first year of a parrots life is extremely important for learning how to fly. They learn many skills that would be very hard to teach a older bird, The hardest thing is flying up and down. Many birds who escape simply don't know the skills to fly down and that's why they don't come back or get stuck in trees.

Since cockatiels are such light birds your guy should do pretty good since your working with him


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