Most bird owners clip their birds to help control or limit their flight. There are two main reasons for this:

The first is safety. Houses have too many hazards for a fully flighted bird to live in. Open doors, windows, toilet bowls, ceiling fans, and all of the kitchen hazards can prove fatal for our feathered companions.

Secondly, birds can quickly develop a dominant attitude if allowed to fly. A recent discussion with Layne Dicker, a noted bird behaviourist, explained the psychological reason for clipping. Birds in the wild will fly in a flock because they are safe in numbers from predators and they have a sense of belonging with all of their flock mates. We are land dwellers and a flighted pet bird does not feel he belongs in our flock and therefore becomes independent making him difficult to handle. With his wings clipped, he is now a land dweller and has the feeling of belonging to his flock of humans and, as a result, will be much happier as a pet bird.