Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T17:23:41.407Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Deflighting Procedures and Their Welfare Implications in Captive Birds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

H Hesterman ,
N G Gregory  and
W S J Boardman
H Hesterman*
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
N G Gregory
Affiliation:
South Australian Research and Development Institute, PO Box 1571, Flaxley, SA 5153, Australia
W S J Boardman
Affiliation:
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, PO Box 369, Entebbe, Uganda
*
*Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Deflighting is used to prevent large captive birds from escaping by limiting their ability to fly. This practice deprives birds of this normal behaviour, but can allow them to express other behaviours that would be suppressed if they were confined to cages or aviaries. The potential negative welfare issues associated with deflighting include the stress of capture and restraint, pain and discomfort associated with the procedure and during recovery, risk of post-operative infections, risk of neuroma formation which could lead to pain, and loss of the ability to fly. The potential practical and welfare advantages of deflighting include a reduction in the need to closely confine or cage birds to prevent them from escaping, and deflighting may be the only way of keeping particular birds in an open situation for display, such as in parks or zoos. In these respects, there must be a balance between the requirement for this practice and the welfare compromises it introduces for birds. By outlining temporary and permanent methods and the complications involved, the following review highlights potential welfare problems and discusses ways of avoiding them. It also evaluates the necessity of deflighting and the need for careful risk assessment.

Keywords

animal welfaredeflightingfeather clippingpatagiectomypinioningtenonectomy
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , November 2001 , pp. 405 - 419
Copyright
© 2001 UfAW, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Herts ALA 8AN, UK

References

Acharjyo, L N and Ojha, S C 1972 Pinioning of wild birds in captivity — a clinical study. Indian Veterinary Journal 49: 718–725Google Scholar
Allen, G A Jr 1975 Ornamental Pheasants pp 45–46. American Gamebird Breeders Co-operative Federation: Utah, USAGoogle Scholar
Bauck, L 1990 Analgesics in avian medicine. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Association of Avian Veterinarians. Zoological Record 127 (Section 18 — Aves): 239–244. BIOSIS: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Beynon, Ρ Η, Forbes, Ν A and Harcourt-Brown, Ν A 1996 Manual of Raptors, Pigeons and Waterfowl. BSAVA Ltd: Cheltenham, Gloucester, UKGoogle Scholar
Bigland, C H 1964 Blood clotting times of five avian species. Poultry Science 43: 1035–1039CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bishop, Y 1996 (ed) The Veterinary Formulary Handbook of Medicines Used in Veterinary Practice, Edn 3. London Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Boardman, W S J 1994 Deflighting birds. Kokako 3: 2(1) pp 4–5Google Scholar
Breward, J and Gentle, M J 1985 Neuroma formation and abnormal afferent nerve discharges after partial beak amputation (beak trimming) in poultry. Experientia 41: 1132–1136CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coles, B H 1995 Avian Medicine and Surgery. Chandler, E A (ed). Blackwell Scientific Publications: Oxford, UKGoogle Scholar
Coles, B H 1988 Manual of Parrots, Budgerigars and Psittacine Birds pp 64–65. Price, C J (ed). BSAVA Ltd: Cheltenham, Gloucester, UKGoogle Scholar
Fletcher, K C 1989 Surgical deflighting of cranes without altering the normal osteology of the wing. Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens pp 118–119. National Zoological Park Library: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, USAGoogle Scholar
Fletcher, K C and Miller, B W 1980 A technique for cosmetic pinioning of adult birds. Veterinary Medicine and the Small Animal Clinician 75: 1898–1904Google ScholarPubMed
Forbes, N A 1996 Neonatal diseases. In: Beynon, P H, Forbes, N A and Harcourt-Brown, N A (eds) Manual of Raptors, Pigeons and Waterfowl pp 330–333. BSAVA Ltd: Cheltenham, Gloucester, UKGoogle Scholar
Forbes, N A and Richardson, T 1996 Husbandry and nutrition. In: Beynon, P H, Forbes, N A and Harcourt-Brown, N A (eds) Manual of Raptors, Pigeons and Waterfowl pp 289–298. BSAVA Ltd: Cheltenham, Gloucester, UKGoogle Scholar
Forbes, N A and Glendell, G 1999 Wing clipping in psittacine birds. Veterinary Record 144: 299 (letter)Google ScholarPubMed
Fowler, M E 1995 Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals, Edn 2. Iowa State University Press: Iowa, USAGoogle Scholar
Fraser, A R and Quine, J P 1989 Veterinary examination of suffering as a behaviour-linked condition. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 23: 353–364CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gentle, M J 1992 Pain in birds. Animal Welfare I: 235–247CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gentle, M J and Hunter, L H 1988 Neural consequences of partial toe amputation in chickens. Research in Veterinary Science 45: 374–376CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gentle, M J, Waddington, D, Hunter, L N and Jones, R B 1990 Behavioural evidence for persistent pain following partial beak amputation in chickens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 27: 149–157CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hayes, FN 1981 The Aviculture, Re-establishment and Status of the New Zealand Brown Teal (Anas aucklandica chlorotis). Ducks Unlimited (NZ) Incorporated: Hamilton, NZGoogle Scholar
Heard, D J 1997 Anaesthesia and analgesia. In: Altman, R B, Clubb, S L, Dorrestein, G M and Quesenberry, K (eds) Avian Medicine and Surgery pp 807–827. W B Saunders Company: Philadelphia, USAGoogle Scholar
Hediger, H 1964 Wild Animals in Captivity. Dover Publications Inc: New York, USAGoogle Scholar
Humphreys, P N 1996 Wing and leg problems. In: Beynon, P H, Forbes, N A and Harcourt-Brown, N A (eds) Manual of Raptors, Pigeons and Waterfowl pp 311–314. BSAVA Ltd: Cheltenham, Gloucester, UKGoogle Scholar
Kear, J and Duplaix-Hall, N 1975 Pinioning captive flamingos. In: Kear, J and Duplaix-Hall, N (eds) Flamingos pp 220–221. Poyser: Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UKGoogle Scholar
Kline, D G 1987 Neuromas of nerve. In: Adelman, G (ed) Encyclopaedia of Neuroscience, Vol 2 pp 808. Birkhauser: Boston, USAGoogle Scholar
Lawton, M P C 1996 Anaesthesia. In: Beynon, P H, Forbes, N A and Harcourt-Brown, N A (eds) Manual of Raptors, Pigeons and Waterfowl pp 79–88. BSAVA Ltd: Cheltenham, Gloucester, UKGoogle Scholar
Marsden, S J 1971 Turkey Production. Agriculture Handbook No. 393: Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, USAGoogle Scholar
McLelland, J J 1991 A Color Atlas of Avian Anatomy. W B Saunders Company: London, UKGoogle Scholar
New Zealand Code of Recommendations and Minimum Standards for the Welfare of Layer Hens 1996 Draft 7 (March) pp 9–11. MAF: Wellington, NZGoogle Scholar
Olsen, J H 1997 Anseriformes. In: Ritchie, Β W, Harrison, G J and Harrison, L R (eds) Avian Medicine: Principles and Application pp 694–719. Wingers Publishing Inc: Florida, USAGoogle Scholar
Robinson, P T 1975 Unilateral patagiectomy: a technique for deflighting large birds. Veterinary Medicine and the Small Animal Clinician 70: 143–145Google ScholarPubMed
Robinson, P T and Buzikowski, R B 1975 Pinioning young birds with hemostatic clips. Veterinary Medicine and the Small Animal Clinician 70: 1415–1418Google ScholarPubMed
Sanford, J, Ewbank, R, Molony, V, Tavenor, W D and Uvarov, O 1986 Guidelines for the recognition and assessment of pain in animals. Veterinary Record 118: 334Google Scholar
Schultz, D J 1976 Veterinary management of wild birds. In: Proceedings of Post-Graduate Course for Veterinarians: Fauna. Issue no. 36 pp 107. University of Sydney: Sydney, AustraliaGoogle Scholar
SCR Report Series #40 1995 Australian Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Domestic Poultry, Edn 2. CSIRO: Melbourne, AustraliaGoogle Scholar
Sunderland, S 1968 Nerves and Nerve Injuries. E & S Livingston Ltd: Edinburgh/London, UKGoogle Scholar
United Kingdom Welfare of Livestock Code 1987 Prohibited Operations (Amendment) Regulations SI. No. 114. London, UKGoogle Scholar
Upson, D W 1985 Upson’s Handbook of Clinical Veterinary Pharmacology pp 407–408. Veterinary Medicine Publishing Company: Kansas, USAGoogle Scholar
Wallach, J D 1987 Surgical techniques for cage birds. Veterinary Clinics of North America 3: 231–237Google Scholar
Ward, P and Batt, B D J 1973 Clipping and pinioning. In: Trefethen, J B (ed) Propagation of Captive Wildfowl pp 60–62. Delta Wildfowl Reserve Station: Utah, USAGoogle Scholar