Escape

Do birds constantly seek escape? No!

Through three million years of evolution, birds have solved all their problems by flying away from them. At any sound, movement, or strangeness, the bird's alarm system would immediately react and send the bird into flight. This system was so successful that birds never had to become cunning or look for other answers. Flight remains as their compelling solution. As a result, they have limited ability to adjust to those things that frighten them, but adjust well to life in captivity when in a consistently pleasant environment.

Newly purchased birds are frequently fearful animals and should be expected to attempt to escape. Until fear has been alleviated, escape is always foremost in their mind. More information on pages 22 and 23.

Every year hundreds of tame birds ''fly away'' into the trees adjacent to their homes. Their solo flight into the wild soon becomes a fearful experience. The strangeness sends them to the security and safety of tall trees. Fear and confusion keeps them from returning to their owners.

Some manage to return to their owner when hunger develops. However, hunger cannot be depended upon. When fear becomes intense, it overrides the sensation of hunger. These birds, then, have to be trapped or caught. Spraying them with water from the underside wets their feathers, impending their ability to fly and in this way makes capture easier.