A parrot harness or bird flight harness is a type of

pet harness A pet harness is equipment consisting of straps of webbing that loop nearly around—that fasten together using side release buckles—the torso of an animal. These harnesses generally are made to have both a strap on the chest in front of the f ...

that is specifically designed to be worn by a

parrot Parrots, also known as psittacines (), are birds of the roughly 398 species in 92 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes (), found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three superfamilies: the Psittacoid ...

Purpose and use

A parrot harness may enable a

companion parrot A companion parrot is a parrot kept as a pet that interacts abundantly with its human counterpart. Generally, most species of parrot can make excellent companions, but must be carefully managed around other common pet species like dogs and cats a ...

to be taken outdoors while restraining it and preventing it from flying away. Some

s may dislike wearing a harness and bite at it, but parrots that are harness-trained from a very young age may accept them willingly; more often, though, parrots must be very carefully and gradually accustomed and trained to wear a harness. Care must be taken that the parrot does not feel threatened. Properly trained parrots often appear to enjoy wearing their harnesses if they associate them with going outdoors. If the harness is attached to a long leash, the parrot can be given some limited flight outside. However, this can be potentially dangerous for the parrot, which may be initially frightened by unfamiliar events, noises, and objects. It is usually best to first take the parrot out in a cage or carrier to let it become accustomed to being outdoors. Parrot harnesses are available commercially in a range of brands and sizes, fitting small birds such as

budgerigar The budgerigar ( ; ''Melopsittacus undulatus''), also known as the common parakeet or shell parakeet, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot usually nicknamed the budgie ( ), or in American English, the parakeet. Budgies are the only spe ...

s and

cockatiel The cockatiel (; ''Nymphicus hollandicus''), also known as weiro (also spelt weero), or quarrion, is a medium-sized parrot that is a member of its own branch of the cockatoo family endemic to Australia. They are prized as household pets and com ...

s, all the way up to the largest macaws and

cockatoo A cockatoo is any of the 21 parrot species belonging to the family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea (true parrots) and the Strigopoidea (large New Zealand parrots), they make up the orde ...

s. Some parrot owners may choose to make their own harnesses. Heavy harnesses that require assembly with metal buckles and clips can be uncomfortable. They may be broken or unlatched by some larger birds with strong beaks. A leash should always be fastened securely to the person holding the leash (such as by an elastic band around the wrist) to avoid the possibility of dropping the leash, as a dropped leash may become entangled in a tree or other object if a parrot flies off. A harness should only be used when the parrot is supervised and should never be used to tether a parrot to a perch or other object. Parrots can be trained to wear a harness using positive and negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is used to reward the parrot until it overcomes its fear of the harness. Food treats are used as

positive reinforcement In behavioral psychology, reinforcement is a consequence applied that will strengthen an organism's future behavior whenever that behavior is preceded by a specific antecedent stimulus. This strengthening effect may be measured as a higher freq ...

to reward the parrot for putting on the harness. A well trained parrot will put the harness on itself by slipping its head through the collar.

Gallery

File:Goffins Cockatoo in flight in harness.jpg, Harnessed

Tanimbar corella The Tanimbar corella (''Cacatua goffiniana''), also known as Goffin's cockatoo, is a species of cockatoo endemic to forests of Yamdena, Larat and Selaru, all islands in the Tanimbar Islands archipelago in Indonesia. It has been introduced to t ...

or Goffin's cockatoo preparing to land File:Congo African Grey Parrot in a harness.jpg,

Grey parrot The grey parrot (''Psittacus erithacus''), also known as the Congo grey parrot, Congo African grey parrot or African grey parrot, is an Old World parrot in the family Psittacidae. The Timneh parrot ''(Psittacus timneh)'' once was identified as ...

wearing a harness File:Tinkgi2me500.JPG, A harnessed grey parrot flying at

Green Island, Taiwan Green Island, also known by other names, is a small volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean about off the eastern coast of Taiwan. It is at high tide and at low tide, making it the seventh-largest island in Taiwan Area. The island is administ ...

File:Tinkbike.jpg, Grey parrot in her harness riding a motorbike in

Chiayi Chiayi (, Taigi POJ: ''Ka-gī''; ), officially known as Chiayi City, is a city located in the plains of southwestern Taiwan. Formerly called ''Kagee'' during the late Qing dynasty and ''Kagi'' during the Japanese era (), its historical name i ...

, Taiwan June 2005

Notes and references

External links

Fundamental principles on using harness on parrots

Video demonstration of fitting a parrot harness

Tinkerbell - account of a flighted African Grey parrot in Taiwan taken out in harness to fly in the mountains and forests

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080325234155/http://www.indonesian-parrot-project.org/Library/pam2.html Feathers, Flight and Parrot Keeping
Article and video about taking parrots to a park wearing flight harnesses
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parrot Harness Aviculture Bird health Pet equipment

Purpose and use

Gallery

See also

Notes and references

External links