What are the health risks of wing clipping?
Written by
John Williams
Reviewed by
Prof. David Walsh, Ph.D.Clipping the feathers of the wing causes numerous health problems in addition to the obvious hindrance of flying. It has far-reaching negative physical and mental consequences that increase over time. Birds are injured by a lack of exercise (muscle atrophy) and stress placed on the joints (through falls). Psychologically, the perfect example of trauma occurs when feather mutilation takes place. All these problems are frequently unnoticed until the damage done is permanent.
Musculoskeletal Damage
- Pectoral muscle atrophy from disuse
- Joint inflammation due to hard landings
- Keel bone fractures from falls
- Tendon strains compensating for flight loss
Metabolic Disorders
- Obesity from reduced calorie expenditure
- Fatty liver disease development
- Arthritis in weight-bearing joints
- Respiratory issues from inactivity
Without regular flight exercise, muscle atrophy begins quickly. The large breast muscles of birds weaken in a few weeks. This makes climbing or gliding one-sided. I have measured 30% of the muscle mass of clipped birds gone. They require several months of systematic exercise to recover. Therefore, prevention through other means of exercise is essential.
Psychological stress leads to abnormal behaviors. The bird releases endorphins in response to feather-plucking. Crying out increases for the purpose of obtaining attention. These behaviors become habitual and so require constant vigilance to break. Environmental enrichment may reduce this stress, but cannot completely relieve the animal of this trauma. The restriction of flight drastically changes the normal behavioral patterns of the animal.
Collision injuries result from impaired flight ability. These birds attempt distance and altitude judgments. These birds unexpectedly descend, causing fractures. Heavy species, such as macaws, sustain the most severe impact injuries. Always arrange for padded landing zones. Better yet, bird-proof the homes against dangerous situations.
Reduce hazards with professional supervision. Wear and tear checks from avian veterinarian catch problems early. Repeated weight checks signal obesity. Blood work shows nutritional deficiencies. Your veterinarian writes out customized management plans that reduce the chances of getting into trouble. Never want to clip without proper training.
Read the full article: Bird Wing Clipping Guide for Pet Owners
