How to Clip a Bird's Feathers

Wing-clipping refers to the practice of clipping a pet bird's flight feathers so that it cannot fly away. Clipping a bird's wings is often done by veterinarians, but you can also try and do it on your own if you have a friend or family member to assist you. You must be very careful when trimming a bird's feathers; if you make a mistake and trim the wrong feather, you can seriously injure your pet.

Things You'll Need

  • Two towels
  • Small, sharp scissors
  • Styptic powder
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lay a clean towel over a table in a well-lit area.

    • 2

      Use another towel to gently scoop up your bird in its cage. Wrap the towel gently around the bird's wings and body, leaving its head uncovered.

    • 3

      Have an assistant, such as a family member or friend, lay the bird on its back on the table in its wrapped towel. Throughout the entire trimming procedure, your assistant will need to hold the bird still while you trim its wings.

    • 4

      Lift one of the bird's wings out of the towel and spread it flat on the table.

    • 5

      Examine to see if there are any blood feathers, or feathers that are still growing in, on your bird's wing. Blood feathers look like quills and are pink and have a blood vein running through them. Do not trim any blood feathers or you will severely hurt the bird.

    • 6

      Trim your bird's fully developed flight feathers using small, sharp scissors. Begin at the wing tip, and work your way inward toward the bird's body. The flight feathers are the long feathers at the ends of the wings.

    • 7

      Cut the first six to eight feathers on the wing, trimming up to the line where the upper row of feathers start. Depending on the size and type of bird that you have, you may end up cutting more or fewer flight feathers.

    • 8

      Repeat the wing-clipping process on your bird's other wing.

    • 9

      Apply styptic powder to a blood feather to stop the bleeding if you accidentally cut this type of feather. Take your bird to an emergency animal hospital or to your vets as soon as possible to treat your bird.