Joan,

People thought i was silly when i put jesses on a thief pouter pigeon. Ok, maybe i was silly for doing it, but training that bird and flying around town not only got me attention from passerby's but taught me the nuances of handling a bird and learning how to use the equipment (jesses, swivel, falconry knot, ect.). Im not suggesting you jess up a parrot, but knowing how to condition a bird to do what you want is part of the equation. Good luck in your endeavors.