Bird Specilists

 Birds are amazingly difficult to import and export around the world. It routinely takes 4-6 months to plan a bird transport for a species requiring permits, and costs will run into several thousand dollars. Bird transportation is highly regulated to help protect endangered species. Other than the most common pet birds like parakeets, all other species of birds, even those bred in captivity, will require a number of permits. There are usually several different government offices to deal with on each end of an international bird shipment. Special permits are required. Tests may be required for Avian Influenza. Quarantine is also probably required when arriving into the USA, and for other countries as well. 

The only “easy” birds are those considered unprotected, like parakeets & cockatiels. And even then, a country may require blood testing for avian influenza and other diseases, and the shipment still must be declared and inspected by US Fish and Wildlife (USFW) when importing or exporting from the USA. ALL other species will require special permits. These include common pet birds like:

• Conures
• Macaws
• Cockatoos
• Lorries
• Lovebirds
• Parrots (all species)
• Amazons

Almost any bird, other than a parakeet( Melopsittacus undulatus ), Lovebird  (Agapornis roseicollis /spp ) or Cockatiel ( Nymphicus hollandicus ),  must first apply to US Fish and Wildlife (USFW) for an export CITES  (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) permit. 

This can take 2-4 months to receive.  Once it is issued in the USA, then the country of arrival must also issue an import CITES permit, as well as any other import permit required.  For Appendix I species, the highest protection level, both governments must agree to process permits before either one will actually do so.  This adds to the processing time.

Once both CITES permits are in hand, we can start to arrange the process of export.  We have to also file a declaration for any species of bird with USFW prior to export.

Usually a 30 day quarantine is required prior to departure.  Each country will have their own requirements, which may include other permits, testing prior to shipment, or quarantine upon arrival.

USFW will require 48 hours notice for an inspection.  Typically, we take the birds (or other exotic) to their office for the inspection and permit validation just prior to the flight. Birds should exit the USA at a designated USFW port.

A USDA accredited veterinarian must do an exam and sign off on appropriate health certificates, usually within 48 hours of shipment.  Documents then must be hand carried to the USDA office for the state/regional vet to sign and endorse.

All original documents travel with the bird/pet to the country of destination.

We have successfully shipped birds to Europe, the Middle East, and to other parts of the world without any bird becoming ill or having adverse effects from transportation. The key is to use an airline who handles birds well, has care facilities at layovers, and to use a crate outfitted to the individual bird.

Birds will all travel as a cargo shipment, in the hold of the plane (called manifest cargo, required by most countries that allow importation). Most airlines do not allow a bird in cabin anymore. That said, birds will do quite fine in the lower deck. It’s dark, which will help them sleep and be quiet, and the drone of the plane is the same as you would hear upstairs. Even the air is the same – in many aircraft the air in the cabin circulates downstairs through the cargo area and back up again. Is the plane pressurized? is a common question – and yes, the whole plane must be pressurized otherwise it would implode at 30,000 feet. And we never worry about air conditioning – it’s -25°F up there in the clouds – but heat is supplied for passengers and live animals.