Import requirements are different for pet birds entering the United States via U.S.-Canadian land border ports versus air and ocean ports.

The USDA defines pet birds as those that are imported for personal pleasure of their individual owners and are not intended for resale.

Requirements:

Requirements	Land Port	Air/Ocean Port
Import Permit (VS Form17-129)	Not Required	Required
Veterinary Health Certificate	Not Required	Not Required
Veterinary Inspection upon Entry	Required	Required
Approximate Fees	$84.00	$178.00

Fish and Wildlife Services Certification (if necessary)

Import Process

Importing Pet Birds at U.S.-Canadian Land Border Ports
Pet birds imported from Canada through any of the designated U.S.-Canadian land border ports are subject to veterinary inspection at the port of entry. The importer must contact the port at least 3 to 5 days prior to entry in order to assure the availability of a port veterinarian. (Most land border ports are not routinely staffed by a full-time port veterinarian, and the hours of service and availability for veterinary inspections vary from port to port.) Eligible land border ports of entry are listed below:

Eastport, ID (208) 267-2396		Champlain, NY ( 518) 298-2191
Houlton, ME (207) 532-6099		Lewiston Bridge, NY (716) 297-6203
Jackman, ME (207) 287-3701		Dunseith, ND (701) 263-3364
Detroit, MI (313) 226-4428		Pembina, ND (701) 825-6262
Port Huron, MI (810) 985-5433		Portal, ND (701) 926-4281
Sault Ste. Marie, MI (906) 647-6512		Derby Line, VT (802) 873-9338
Baudette, MN (218) 634-2661		Highgate Springs, VT (802) 868-2556
Raymond/Opheim, MT (406) 286-5258		Sumas, WA (360) 988-5715
Sweetgrass, MT (406) 335-2142		Oroville, WA (509) 476-2635
Alexandria Bay, NY (315) 482-2601

Upon veterinary inspection at the port of entry, the birds must be found free of clinical signs of communicable diseases of birds and poultry. The owner must sign a declaration stating that the birds are healthy and have been in his or her possession for a minimum of 90 days preceding the date of importation, and that during such time, the birds have not been in contact with poultry or other birds (i.e., in association with other avian species at exhibitions or in aviaries). A user fee, based on an hourly rate of $84 per hour (with a minimum fee of $25.00) will also be collected at this time.

Importing Pet Birds from Canada into U.S. Air or Ocean Ports of Entry

Those importing pet birds into the United States from Canada by air or by boat are required to have a USDA import permit (VS Form17-129), although a veterinary health certificate is not required. These birds must also be inspected by a USDA veterinarian at the air or ocean port of entry, as described above. The importers are required to contact the port veterinarian at the phone number listed on the import permit at least 72 hours in advance of arrival to arrange for a veterinary inspection. (Most airports are not routinely staffed by a full-time port veterinarian, and the hours of service and availability for veterinary inspections vary from port to port.)

This cost of the import permit is $94.00 and the application (VS Form 17-129) may be downloaded from the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/ or by contacting the:

USDA, APHIS, VS
National Center for Import and Export
4700 River Road, Unit 39
Riverdale, MD 20737
(301) 734-8364 telephone
(301) 734-6402 fax

Fish and Wildlife Service Permit Information
In the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) regulates the importation of birds protected by the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 (WBCA). These regulations are part of international conservation effort to protect exotic wild birds subject to trade. Most exotic pet birds including parrots, parakeets, macaws, lories, and cockatoos are affected by CITES and the WBCA. However, the budgerigar, cockatiel, and rose-ringed parakeet are exempt.

According to the WBCA, in order to import a pet bird of non-U.S. origin into the United States, you must have continuously resided outside of the United States for at least one year. In addition, the WBCA limits the number of pet birds that can be imported to two birds per person, per year. All required WBCA and CITES permits must accompany the bird while in transit.

Please visit the FWS web site at: http://permits.fws.gov/ to obtain more information and the permit application. If you have questions you can contact the FWS at (800) 358-2104. Overseas calls should be placed to (703) 358-2104.

How to Contact Us
If you need additional information about importing pet birds into the United States, please contact us:
USDA, APHIS, VS
National Center for Import and Export
4700 River Road, Unit 39
Riverdale, MD 20737
(301) 734-3277 telephone
(301) 734-6402 fax