Travel Documents for a Macaw

Anyone have any recent experience acquiring travel documents with the US Fish and Wildlife Service for an Ara ararauna ?

Rafael said:

Anyone have any recent experience acquiring travel documents with the US Fish and Wildlife Service for an Ara ararauna ?

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So, you want to travel with your Blue and Gold MAC! The requirements vary depending on where you are traveling from and to. Whether it is a pet or a breeder. What method of travel you are planning! Whether you are traveling over an extended period of time. And, when you plan to travel!

CITES regulations are in place for your MAC and depending on its age, you may need to have its hatch documents.

I know I should apply for a pet passport from US FWS, but I have such scant information and the EU will be asking for health clearances and the like, I’m seriously considering whether it would not better to rehome him and keep him in sunny Florida. There are pet travel managers who could arrange the move, but the cost and effort might be getting out of hand. I had considered this eventuality and wondered at the time if a hybrid breed would have been easier to transport. He was born after 1994, the problem will be getting it all cleared. I have at least two years to decide assuming I get accepted into a graduate program in France, so there is technically time to consider options, but if I do rehome him than I prefer to do so in Florida rather before I move to DC in the summer.

You are doing the reverse of what the couple in this Thread are doing: Our family needs desperate help!

Do You Have An Certified Avian Vet!?! If not, you need to get one, ASAP!

You have a full six months of work head of you to developed an Acceptable EU CITES document base for your Parrot! The health Document needs to begin near six months in advance and when the document is provided it is not uncommon for it to be only good for up to 10 days from the date it is issued. Each EU country follows CITES, but each country can and do add addition requirements!

I am not aware of near any 'graduate' programs that mandate course completion in France. I fail to see the reasoning in even applying.

We have an avian vet, of course, and a good one. As a customs union, I would be surprised if not shocked that EU countries had individual criteria on pet importation, and I do not see anything specific to France versus any other EU member beyond language translation. But I continue to acquire information. Colo is going to need a tag or chip - I wonder which is the better option for him. Budgies are exempt from CITES (no passport needed) but probably still need tags, medical checks, and quarantine.

Readers: the form for PETS (pet passport) is 3-200-64 from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, but the US Department of Agriculture has much clearer information on import regulations in foreign countries (including the EU).

Researching how and where to get an adult macaw banded/ringed...

PS: I hope doing the opposite of that family is a good thing...

Your are correct regarding the overall guidelines as being standardized across all EU Country's. The outbreaks of BirdFlu has resulted in several member states enacting additional requirements, Ireland being one of them. Point is that stricter requirements of assure the health of 'Birds' traveling between EU Country's will likely become stricter due to BirdFlu 'Hot Spots' existing over-Winter (2016/2017 & 2017/2018).

Everything really needs to start 'now' with your Avian Vet in developing EU (CITES) documentation base for your MAC. And, yes the PETS (pet passport) from the US Fish and Wildlife Service 'May Be' part of that document set.

Identification is Step Number One: Whether a band and/or a Micro Chip will clearly need to happen 'at' your CAV! Remember that we are chasing 'Proof' and the signature of your CAV sets that 'Proof' in place. On date, such and such, I, Name Here, as a CAV, number such and such did, etc, etc... I would recommend both, since an open band is the only type that can be place on an Adult MAC.

Most CAV Clinics are switching to photo ID's of their client's Parrots. This is added to the historical medical file of your MAC and with the ID number of the band and/or Micro Chip, that provides ownership history. Having an extended history with your CAV is clearly very helpful. Any prior ownership history you have is always helpful.

Health Certificate: This one can become a moving target if there is a out-breaks of BirdFlu in Europe or North America this Spring and/or Fall 2018 and any over Wintering 2018/2019. At present, the Certificate, once issued has a 10 day useful life and you will be required to register with an EU Avian Specialist.

An increase in active Hot Spots in Both North America and Europe may fully halt any transportation of 'Birds!' At present, there are no wide spread Bands.

In addition, Ireland is currently requiring that Parrot(s) be quarantined in your Home for 6 months prior to departure with your CAV preforming 'onsite' visits. I am not sure if this has already become or will become standard for all EU member states.

From the US Fish and Wildlife Service:

The Ara ararauna is listed as Appendix II under CITES and also listed under the Wild Bird Conservation Act. In order to transport your bird overseas you are required to obtain a CITES Export permit from this office. If you no longer have a receipt/invoice from purchasing the bird then I recommend that you write an affidavit that explains everything you know about the bird (including what was told to you by seller, approximate date that you obtain bird).

Application 3-200-46 is the one you complete if you are relocating or not traveling back and forth with your bird, see https://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-46.pdf

Application 3-200-64 is the one you complete if you are traveling back and forth with your bird, see https://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-64.pdf

The following link will assist you: https://www.fws.gov/international/travel-and-trade/traveling-with-your-pet-bird.html

Prior to export please ensure that the bird is inspected and documents are validated by USFWS/Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) and USDA. You also want to contact the foreign Management Authority to confirm their requirements.

Contact for OLE: https://www.fws.gov/le/ports-contact-information.html

Contact for USDA: https://www.fws.gov/le/additional-import-export-contacts.html

Foreign CITES Management Authority: https://www.cites.org/eng/cms/index.php/component/cp

Thank you for your inquiry,

U.S. Management Authority, Branch of Permits

Anyone know whether hybrid macaws (Catalina, Harlequin, &c) avoid CITES restrictions? It's not the most difficult permit to obtain, but I've long been curious.

PS: Anyone relocating to Chile may read on the US Dept. of Agriculture website that the importation of birds into the country was suspended in 2006. After writing to a consulate, I was assured that birds were allowed with the proper paperwork:

Internación de especies exóticas de fauna silvestre | SAG

https://www.sag.gob.cl/ambitos-de-accion/ingreso-de-aves-de-compania

It is always a good idea to write the consulate of the respective country to clarify and confirm existing protocol and regulations!

Just microchip your bird - open legbands are uncomfortable for your bird and not accepted in Europe afaik (too easy to fake/ forge).
Having an open legband on a large parrot will get more questions asked instead of less.
(it practically screams 'illegal acquired bird')