Pinioning
Depriving a bird of the power of flight by cutting a wing at the carpal joint. This is done while the bird is still young enough for the bones to be soft. Pinioned birds are never able to grow primary feathers on the wing concerned and so are permanently unable to fly. The birds most commonly pinioned are those in collections of captive wildfowl. Methods of producing temporary flightlessness include brailing and clipping.From Peter Weaver's Birdwatcher's Dictionary
Copyright © 1981 by Peter Weaver