Training Budgies to Fly to You

This is a very satisfying interaction, and very useful for getting a budgie back in his cage quickly if needs be. It involves calling your budgie, so choose a distinct word or whistle that you don’t use elsewhere in your conversations with him. It could be something as simple as “come” or “fly”. Don’t include the budgie’s name in the command, or it will confuse things.

With the budgie perched on one finger, offer the index finger of your other hand, as you did in the ‘step up’ training mentioned above. This time, keep the second finger a short distance away from the bird so that he has to flutter and hop to the next perch. As you position the second finger, keep repeating your chosen command word or whistle. If he doesn’t seem sure what to do, press your finger against his belly and then move it away again, just a few centimetres. Eventually he will make the small leap. When he does, offer a treat such as a quick nibble of millet to reinforce the lesson. If millet is involved, he’ll be a keen pupil!

Budgie in flight

As you progress. increase the distance between the two fingers, so that the budgie has to fly rather than just flap-and-hop. Keep repeating the command as you do so. Once he’s cracked this, try calling him from a perch that isn’t your finger. Again, start off by placing the finger close to him, and increase the distance each time.

At this point you should be able to raise your finger-perch and speak the command word, and the budgie will fly to you. Eventually he will do this without the enticement of a treat, and will happily use your head and shoulders as well as your finger.