I am sure some of you have heard of a so called 'Beauty' clip on parrots where the first 1 or 2 flights are left alone while the others are clipped normally. This allows the bird to look flighted when his wings are down but then limit flight. Here is the best diagram I could find of it

In the picture the green would be clipped while the yellow would be left alone. As it says in the picture they may still be able to fly but I want Griffin to be able to fly some anyway so that wouldn't bother me much. Has anyone seen someone who has done this or have any ideas or info on it. I read online that the feathers could be more likely to break but when Griffins clip started growing in he had one flight right in teh middle of his wing and that was it and it never broke or had any problems.

Yes, that's a beauty clip and some birds are able to fly really well with those two feathers left untouched.

I've also heard and read and actually seen some birds who have injured themselves with that type of clip because the two feathers can get caught in between bars easier or in toys etc.

Personally, if I want my guys to have some flight ability we cut fewer and I dont really care about the "beauty" aspect, I'm more concerned about them being able to glide to the floor safely not falling like a rock. And the way I was taught to trim the outer feathers helps to keep the feathers from rubbing the sides and causing irritation. That's another reason people say they like the "beauty clip"

So I guess its a matter of personal choice,

that's how our CAG came to us, with 2 longer flights left intact. he still got very good movement across the house, which is not safe lol, so i had the vet clip him. biggest mistake i ever made. he cut the feathers themselves, and not just the flights. grr. i can not wait for him to molt out all his butchered feathers so he can actually steer himself and have some control. poor guy. as an aside, we have a vet now who knows how to handle my babies.

i prefer the normal clip, like connie mentioned, where there are no longer flights on the outside.

kris

They have a much greater risk of breaking those feathers, as there is little support from the other flights. I always find it difficult when those feathers are just growing out beside his clipped flights. He has broken a couple, and one was still a blood feather. I try to clip them a bit as they grow so they don't stick out as much, and I don't interfere with the growing part.

I've never liked the vanity clip. I just feel it is too dangerous. For one, the feathers can get caught up in toys or cage bars and snap, and two, it gives a false feeling of security.

If you want the flighted look, then leave your bird fully flighted. In my opinion, you shouldn't have your cake and eat it too

They don't really look flighted with that clip anyway. They look like somebody stopped before they finished the job.

I don't understand why this method is called the beauty, or vanity clip- to me it's not attractive. It just looks odd when a bird opens his wings and has those two pretty feathers then a hunk of empty space.

I just start by trimming the first few feathers on each side and then more if needed to keep them from doing more than gliding in for landing