I find having the bird facing you preferably on your lap is the best position and your bird will not fly from you. plane what you are doing, first you loosen the strap fully, pull it through the loop on the neck strap so the strap is fully through on the side of the opposite wing, move the wing out leaving strap on top of wingfrom the strap, thread the strap back through so most of it is by the other wing and move that wing out leaving strap resting on top of that wing , now just slide the strap that goes over the neck over the head from the back.