Leg band how important is it.

Hi, I'm about to purchase a macaw. I have my eyes on 2 macaws one is a green-winged and the other one is a Catalina macaw they are both about 2 years old and very tame according to both owners. However, the green-winged macaw does not have a leg band. Is the leg band very important? Is it required in California to have that? There is a possibility of a move to Scandinavia so is leg band required in case of traveling or moving. I do have experience with parrots and I do live in a house.

Green winged or Catalina Macaw?

Leg bands are only a form of identification for the owner
Leg bands should be on a bird if:
They have a microchip - so if they are lost the know on a leg band say 'MCHIP' that they can look for a micro chip
It is also a good idea to have one with a number or initials that just in case it gets lost or stolen, you are able to identify your bird

There are no legality reasons behind a leg band, its just a form of identification- IT IS NOT COMPULSORY

I would recommend getting a leg band, its a small price to prevent something big happening

Thanks
Noah Till

Not sure about California's laws. But if you plan on shifting overseas, if you don't have a closed leg band, you need a microchip and ideally medical history. If you plan on returning to the US after staying in Scandinavia, you need some way of proving your bird originated from the US if you want to quarantine in-home rather than the federal facility.

Considering the stress of international travel, plus quarantine, consider postponing adopting? 30-days quarantine is no joke. Plus going on a flight can be stressful. In addition, it's unbelievably expensive to move internationally with a bird.

check requirements when exiting from US to Scandanavia and when returning from there to the US. They often are different and there can be a ton of red-tape. Any chance you could wait to get the bird until you are more planted? Aside from all oif the legalities, a move like that is a huge stress on a bird (between plane transport, temperature flux and the new environment). A macaw will 99% be too big to fly in the cabin with you.

Hi. Ditto on the legal issues in first bringing your Macaw into a new country and even more issues trying to get him back into the states. Research very very carefully on both. Customs officials can be real PIAs when it comes to areas they are not familiar with, with them erroring on the side of caution. Try to get an official on both sides to give you the applicable rules in writing.

It took me the better part of a whole day trying to get a bronze muzzle loading cannon imported from England, even getting the section chief of the ATF on the phone with this idiot in US customs who even then wanted something in writing from ATF in order to release it. And that wasn't a living breathing animal. Hope it works out better for you and your Macaw.

If you are unsure regarding which Mac, simply allow the Mac to choose! They are much better at it than we are and regarding development of a Relationship Bond, there is nothing better than having the Mac already liking you!

At this time, it is legal to travel within one's own Country without a vast amount of Documentation. But, I expect that too slowly change over the years to come. Health based Documentation and Ownership Documentation is already required if you travel by Aircraft and not all carriers will allow 'Pets' in the Main Cabin.

Travel within North America is as restricted as traveling across Oceans. That is to say, traveling from the United States to Canada and back required extensive Documentation for ownership and health, plus the entrance requirements of the Country that you are traveling to and/or returning too. This would be the same as Traveling to Northern Europe. And, as noted above, each Country has their own additional requirements.

One of the realities is that if you plan to travel internationally, you will need to be working with a Certified Avian Vet (CAV) that will developed the Health documents specific to the Country that you are traveling to. If you do not return within a preset limited time, you will need a CAV in the Country you are returning from to develop like documents for your return to the United States.

Ownership Documentation:
Leg Bands had been a means of Identification many years ago for Parrots that had been Imported in to one's Country with certified that this Parrot meet the entrance requires. When the Import of Parrots was Stopped, so did the use of Leg Bands for entrance requirements. Today, Leg Bands are used by and every smaller number of breeders as an identification within they flock.

Regarding All Amazons and several species of Macs, young birds require a 'Birth (hatch) Certificate' defining the parents, the breeder, the date of birth and specific contact information of the breeder. And, any-point of ownership change, the information of the past owner and new owner are required to be added to this document! This is an International Requirement and if you are traveling with a young Parrot, you need to assure you have it if you species of Parrot is Controlled by CITES.

The only assured and fully accepted "Legal" means of Ownership Identification in mid to larger Parrots is the Microchip! If you are Traveling with your mid to larger Parrot you should have it Microchipped! If you are Traveling with a young CITES species, you must have it Microchipped to properly prove ownership.

The North America is at this moment very sloppy regarding CITES requirements, but I assure you that Western Europe is not!

Thank you for the reply. The move is not for sure and if I do move back to Scandinavia it will not happens until about 15 years. I just want to do my homework before purchasing a parrot and I want to make sure that I can bring it with me wherever I move.

SailBoat said:

Regarding All Amazons and several species of Macs, young birds require a 'Birth (hatch) Certificate' defining the parents, the breeder, the date of birth and specific contact information of the breeder. And, any-point of ownership change, the information of the past owner and new owner are required to be added to this document! This is an International Requirement and if you are traveling with a young Parrot, you need to assure you have it if you species of Parrot is Controlled by CITES.

Click to expand...

Sailboat thank you so much for the reply. Do I need hatch certificate for a macaw listed as appendix 2. The green wing macaw is listed as appendix 2 meanwhile catalina is appendix 1.

Zizi said:

SailBoat said:

Regarding All Amazons and several species of Macs, young birds require a 'Birth (hatch) Certificate' defining the parents, the breeder, the date of birth and specific contact information of the breeder. And, any-point of ownership change, the information of the past owner and new owner are required to be added to this document! This is an International Requirement and if you are traveling with a young Parrot, you need to assure you have it if you species of Parrot is Controlled by CITES.

Click to expand...

Sailboat thank you so much for the reply. Do I need hatch certificate for a macaw listed as appendix 2. The green wing macaw is listed as appendix 2 meanwhile catalina is appendix 1.

Click to expand...

To my understanding you will need documents for both appendix 1 and 2. In addition, like Amazons, Mac's will likely all be included. Plan for it and that way, you will have what you need.

SailBoat said:

To my understanding you will need documents for both appendix 1 and 2. In addition, like Amazons, Mac's will likely all be included. Plan for it and that way, you will have what you need.

Click to expand...

Thank you again for the reply. Both of the macaws will not come with hatch certificates. One is leg banded with no paperwork (Catalina) other one (green winged) with only a DNA certificate not sure if that is sufficient have not seen the DNA certificate. I was hoping to adopt one instead of buying from a breeder. Looks like my next stop would be getting a macaw from a breeder with paperwork in order.

Thank you for your wise advice that will save me lots of headaches in the future