Wing-clipping is intended to prevent your bird from flying away. Some veterinarians approve, while some oppose it. Some people see it as part of the proper care for a pet bird, while others see it as a form of animal cruelty.

There are several different techniques that can be used, which have different effects on your bird's ability to fly. They all come down to reducing the bird's ability to fly.

Birds with clipped wings can generally fly again if the feathers are allowed to re-grow. In the short term however, they are grounded.

A lightly clipped wing allows the bird to fly, but not very much. Generally, a light clip aims to allow the bird to fly downwards, but not to gain altitude.

If you keep your bird indoors, this can help prevent injuries from flying into ceiling fans or large windows & mirrors. Clipping a bird's wings has been known to make it less aggressive.

Proper clipping only trims the feathers, not the actual wing. Therefore it is temporary and painless. Next time the bird molts, new feathers are grown and you can decide whether or not to clip again.

Painless or not, many people still see wing-clipping as being cruel. Most species of pet birds have evolved for flight. Sometimes, they may fly for many miles a day, searching for food.

If you take away your bird's ability to fly, you also take away its primary form of exercise. This can have health problems for your bird. You can also throw off your bird's sense of balance, making it unsteady and less confident.