Birds released into the wild by Fish and Wildlife have time to develop full normal flight muscles and instincts. A bird kept cooped up in an enclosure does not.
So you think that each year fish & wildlife agencies have raised hundreds of thousands of pheasants, which they release to be shot at hunting season-where? In airplane hangers? Most of these birds are imported from farms in China. Further, many of the species are ground dwellers. They can fly but they normally hide and feed in brush and leaves on the ground. I believe there would be few or no pheasants in the USA if they were not released from cages each year.
It’s a nice sport. As for the pigeon shoots, that’s also a very difficult and competitive sport.
We’re talking about shooting birds.