Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup: Trained Birds

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Trained Birds

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2993
Printed Date: 7/29/25 at 11:17am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Trained Birds

Posted By: SpikeWong
Subject: Trained Birds
Date Posted: 2/24/08 at 10:46pm

How do I begin looking for a small flock of trained small birds to fly on stage/in house?

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Spike Wong

Replies:

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 2/24/08 at 11:11pm

Your best bet is to contact a Magician who uses birds in thier act. Or the local 'magic Circle Club/Asssociation.

In most respects the birds are trained from popping out of the egg, i don't know if theier any bird trainers, who hang up thier shingle, advertising hiring 'trained Birds'?

But you could check the Net & google for an answer?

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:16pm

Trained birds? I thought working with kids and dogs were bad but at least the kids never pooped on my head.

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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:33pm

pdavis expressed my thoughts exactly. Live birds?! It's difficult enough getting humans to remember their blocking -- I shudder to think what it would be like working with other species.

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"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:49pm

Well having BEEN a magician in years past and knowing many of them as well, including people like Lance Burton (one of the best bird men working today) - the KEY fact with training doves (domesticated and not wild) is that you train them as you raise them from very young birds until they can fly. AND the only way to get them to do things on command is that they individually be taught ONE THING only. They're not smart but they are trainable. It just takes far too long to do it right and expect the results you want from them. Then too when you have more than one is when they "lose it" and often do things that have not been taught and/or have become the habitual thing they do if you use them one at a time - or even a few. I've seen some pretty harsh treatment of these poor creatures, used to own them, used them, trained them and they are stupid and not too hardy a bird - i.e. they don't live forever. HARD to do this - much too much so to be able to get them to do what you need them to do on command in short time. Just doesn't happen. Then too you don't say what KIND of birds. I'm thinking of white doves here but other birds are equally as difficult to train. Must be another way.....or that is likely will HAVE to be another way unless you pay big $$ to hire in an animal wrangler/trainer who has a bevvy of trained birds already.

TonyDi

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"Almost famous"

Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:53pm

It sounds way to difficult to me. I'ld be talking to a good puppeteer. There are just too many things that could go wrong!

Linda

Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:42am

What show.. and what need? Can it be faked? Sound effects, gobbos, fly in's... etc.?

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Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."