Suggestions for Flight Training a Clipped Bird?

Hi There I'm so excited!

Vinnie has a window perch. He will randomly leap from whenever he wants to, and has done so at least a dozen times.

With his wings clipped he can still land on my bed. But when I called to him to "come here" this morning, well it took about 15 minutes for him to build up the confidence. He landed safely and immediately went from calm and quiet perched parrot to very excited play (again, foot toys handy and I'm on another 3 day streak of no bites!). I think he was as excited as I was, except he really didn't do anything he hadn't done before. Simply I added a command.

So just now I had him perched on his playstand and was offering him a walnut from about a foot and a half away. My arm was stiffly outstretched and the walnut in my palm. He was definitely looking for shortcuts.

So I moved to a foot away. He wanted to, but he just wouldn't do it. Move to 6 inches away, and he hopped! Tried again at 8 inches away, and he hopped while flapping! I'm so excited. So we did this once more at 8 inches and I left him to rest a bit.

When Vinnie is in his cage I can tap anywhere with my finger and say "Come Here" and he will, every single time. It's been like this since day one, I didn't really have to teach him that.

For landing on my arm I'm using the command "Come to Me." Does that sound reasonable?

And what do I do when he ignores me? I would like it if he would come on command every time, not ignore me when he's so taken by a toy.

And I'd like to know how to phase out the treats. Obviously today is only day one, and I'll probably have to continue using treats for greater distances.

I guess my main question is : What is the best method for flight training so that he will ultimately come to me on command, 100% of the time and not expect a treat 100% of the time?

Thank You!

You are doing EXACTLY what should be done! If he doesn't respond to the come here command, that's ok. The key to training a parrot is to have frequent but short lessons, no more than ten minutes at a time. And every training session needs to be positive! If the bird is not in the mood don't push it, you can try again later. Eve will come to me 100% of the time as well as go back to her cage or play stand on command. This took me about 2 weeks, but Eve is very focused and I've had lots of experience, so don't expect drastic result right away. Keep using the treats for now, when Vinnies starts coming to you on command most of the time start phasing out the treats and only use them when he doesn't respond. Another tip.....no toys during training sessions, you need as little distractions as possible. As he gets more comfortable as well as stronger from the flapping you can gradually increase to distance, Eve flies about 50 feet on command, can't go any longer because my home isn't any longer. Use what ever words as commands that you see fit..
I use.....come here, back to cage, back to stand, go back,(for back to where he was before)
Once you get a handle on the come here, try the go back, just make him hop back to the perch, again starting with short distances. For now as you place him back, say go back.....when it comes time to training him to go back you will be ahead of the game.

Progress!

We've moved to about a foot away, and he will go back!
Sometimes I use the clicker and sometimes I don't. So I thought I would break it up, and give him one treat for a two way trip. Oops! I accidentally clicked when he landed on my arm, but when I sent him back without the treat -- PINCH! It was a bite, but it wasn't bad, and I think he was in the right. Seems we're clicker training each other.

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Edit! Time to start hiding the treats! Vinnie just found a path to the container of walnuts: from playstand to top of cage to armoire. No doubt his flying lessons are indeed confidence building.

I'm starting to think Vasa's should be promoted as half hawk, half monkey.

They are very good hoppers! Glad things are going well! Funny about the pinch. Better watch out or Vinnie will figure out how to train you!

Hop? No he flew about 1.5 feet from the playstand to the top of the cage, and the top of the cage is at least 8 inches higher!

Funny, the route back was so difficult, as if he doesn't know how to go downwards by now. I offered my arm about 1 foot from the top of his cage and he missed.

I grabbed the package of walnuts before he got to them and held them in one hand when I placed him back on the perch with my other. The second he was perched he immediately jumped again and landed on top of the package of walnuts. I'm wondering if we didn't start this training a wee bit early, since he's already a handful of attitude without the flight. But we're both enjoying it so I guess it's good.

Flying down is alway much harder for birds, he doing great by the sound of it! Part of keeping a vasa is keeping that mind working, that also helps with nipping, this is why train works so well for them. You are doing great!