Is shipping a bird expensive?

Shipping a bird to the USA costs between $1,500 and $6,000 or more. The huge range is dependent on how much of the process you handle yourself and how much you outsource. By preparing early and taking on some tasks, you can manage costs effectively. In certain cases, professional help is strongly advised to ensure your bird’s safe and legal entry.

Do I need to hire a customs broker to ship a bird to the US?

If your bird needs extensive paperwork and must be shipped as cargo, a customs broker may be necessary. However, if you’re traveling with your bird, you can likely handle the process yourself with proper preparation. Be wary of “brokers” targeting pet owners—many sell high-priced service packages for tasks you can manage by yourself. They are more accurately called “agencies” or “coordinators.” Licensed customs brokers, on the other hand, are authorized to clear goods through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

I can't afford to hire a pet relocation service, what should I do?

Don’t worry—many bird owners have successfully navigated the process on their own. That’s why we founded this service to provide free consultations to bird owners. Start by researching the specific import requirements for your bird’s species and country of departure. With careful planning, gathering documents in advance, and handling logistics yourself, you can reduce costs significantly.

Why ship the bird as cargo? Why not travel with the bird in-cabin or check as an extra baggage?

Airline policies may prohibit certain species from flying in-cabin or as checked baggage. Restrictions vary based on departure location and available airline options. Sometimes traveling as cargo is not the most ideal but it’s the only option.

Pet Relocation & Care Library

Plane on the tarmac, signifying the international shipping of pet birds and the process of global pet transport.

Blog: My Bird’s Relocation Journey – The Flying Day

Last updated on: March 12, 2025

This post is a bit different from the other instruction articles. It is my personal experience of shipping my bird for international relocation. It's written in a short story format to give you a feel for it.

The Build-Up: After Much Logistical Drama

After months of research, three grueling weeks of back-and-forth with the pet relocation brokers, and much money being handed over, we finally made it to the flying day.

Since my bird was shipping as cargo, I had to hire two brokers— one for the export side, and one for the import side. The import broker on the American side acted like time zones were an unsolvable puzzle and just did her own thing, completely ignoring the fact that my export guy also needed to sleep at some point.

A drawing signifying frustration with pet relocation agencies and pet brokers during the pet transport process.

Despite paying thousands of dollars hiring two brokers, I ended up relaying messages between the two of them. Throw in some typos and misunderstandings, and suddenly a simple conversation turned into a week long email chain. You get my point — I was just as ready as the bird to get this over with.

11:30 p.m. The Red-Eye Flight for Everyone

Photo of an old man in pyjamas, signifying our bird’s red-eye flight via cargo during the pet relocation process.

I’m not going to disclose the country of departure for privacy reasons. Anyway, the export agency connected me with a drop-off guy that we were supposed to meet with at the airport. The meet-up time was at 4:30AM. We lived 4 hours away from the airport, so we hit the road at 11:30PM, packed the car with snacks, Red Bulls, good music, and more snacks.

Communication with the drop-off guy was minimal. Based on his texts, I figured he used google translate. He told us to meet him at the cargo terminal at the airport at 4:30AM. Except… “cargo terminal” could be as big as a small neighborhood. We asked again and the answer was still “cargo terminal 4:30AM”... As responsible pet owners, we aimed to arrive at 3:30 to explore and— possibly not find our way.

Screenshot of text messages showing the drop-off process for international pet transport and bird shipping.

We arrived at 3AM sharp. Turns out, the guy was right. There was only one parking gate and one tiny building that said “Cargo Terminal”…Well, better be safe than sorry.

I shouldn’t have had the Starbucks chilled coffee because it must contain more milk than coffee. I was so drowsy.

Photo of a Starbucks coffee, signifying a late-night drop-off for bird shipment during international pet relocation.

3:30 a.m. Breaking Bad

I texted the guy at 3:30AM, an hour before the meet-up. He replied right away he would be there at 4:00AM. It was a big “whew”. At that point, I knew my bird would 95% be able to fly.

We parked our car in the open parking lot outside the cargo building. I went out and took a picture of our car and sent to the guy: “Hey, we are in the x color car.” With the hazard light on at 3:45AM, a few minutes later, a Mike Ehrmantraut equivalent from Breaking Bad knocked on my window. Quiet, no-nonsense, but was on-time.

Photo of a car in a parking lot, signifying the meet-up with a pet relocation agent to drop off a bird for international shipping.

The IATA approved kennel was provided by the export broker and was handed over by him— let’s call him Mike. We shook hands then signed some paperwork in the empty parking lot at 4AM. That was quite a Breaking Bad moment. I felt like I was trafficking 50 lbs of…

Mike spoke zero English, but we communicated just fine with Google Translate. It was silent most of the time while we waited for each other to type, mistype, and retype. I guess bird shipment was not Mike's main trade— he suggested transferring the bird into the travel kennel right there, in the empty lot. My husband suggested doing it inside Mike’s black van, because… you know, birds fly. Mike didn’t understand, but respected the idea. I appreciated his patience. It’s the attitude that counts.

So, we voluntarily got into a stranger’s black van at 4:15 AM, shut the door, and transferred the bird. Mikey stood outside, sort of like watching out for something (?).

Photo of Mike Ehrmantraut, signifying his resemblance to the pet relocation specialist in charge of shipping our bird.

5:00 a.m. The Final Leg: Ensuring Everything Was Set

From there, it was smooth sailing. We went into the cargo terminal together. Mike handed in the paperwork to the counter. It was my first time seeing a cargo terminal— it looked like an industrial warehouse with a high ceiling, concrete floor, and a giant metal cage which contained the back office.

Photo of an airport cargo terminal, where pet shipments are processed for international pet relocation via cargo.

Tips:

One important reminder from the export agency was to bring two small bottles of water and extra ziploc-bags of seeds. Mike slapped on the “live animal” and “this way up” stickers on the cage, checked that the doors were secured with zip ties, then taped the extra water and seeds to the top of the cage.

There was also a plastic folder taped on with all the travel documents and feeding instructions prepared by the export agency. The instruction slip specified the maximum time interval between feedings. Everything had their official standard forms.

It felt like sending a kid off to their first day of school. In this case, it was a boarding school as my bird needed to be quarantined upon arrival. I have to admit our bird isn’t exactly a fancy one. The way my husband and I helicoptering over the cage made it seem like it was an endangered species for a zoo.

Mike probably thought we were crazy.

Photo of Mike Ehrmantraut, resembling the pet relocation specialist, waiting for us to prepare the cage before the international shipment of our bird.

5:30 a.m.

As it got closer to 5:30AM., more truck drivers with orange vests came in to drop off. Mike offered coffee from the vending machine. That was approval from Mike. We handed over the cage to the cargo staff.

Photo of a coffee machine, signifying the early morning flight for our bird’s international travel via cargo.

As dawn broke, Mike and I shook hands and parted ways in the parking lot.

FAQ

Is shipping a bird expensive?
Shipping a bird to the USA costs between $1,500 and $6,000 or more. The huge range is dependent on how much of the process you handle yourself and how much you outsource.

By preparing early and taking on some tasks yourself, you can manage costs effectively. In certain cases, professional help is strongly advised to ensure your bird’s safe and legal entry. We’re here to guide you in the right direction, for free, making the process more manageable and cost-effective.
Do I need to hire a customs broker to ship a bird to the US?
If your bird needs extensive paperwork and must be shipped as cargo, a customs broker may be necessary. However, if you’re traveling with your bird, you can likely handle the process yourself with proper preparation.

Be wary of “brokers” targeting pet owners—many sell high-priced service packages for tasks you can manage by yourself. They are more accurately called “agencies” or “coordinators.” Licensed customs brokers, on the other hand, are authorized to clear goods through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Need guidance? Contact us to ensure you’re not overpaying. Learn how our free consultations work
I can't afford to hire a pet relocation service, what should I do?
If hiring a pet relocation service isn’t an option, don’t worry—many bird owners have successfully navigated the process on their own. That’s why we founded this service to provide free consultations to bird owners.

Start by researching the specific import requirements for your bird’s species and country of departure. With careful planning, gathering documents in advance, and handling logistics yourself, you can reduce costs significantly. Reach out to us, our volunteers are happy to guide you through the process! Learn how our free consultations work
Why ship the bird as cargo? Why not travel with the bird in-cabin or check as an extra baggage?
Airline policies may prohibit certain species from flying in-cabin or as checked baggage. Restrictions vary based on departure location and available airline options. Sometimes traveling as cargo is not the most ideal but it’s the only option.
What is Mike's real name?
The name of the actor who played Mike Ehrmantraut in Breaking Bad is Jonathan Banks. As for our Mike, we cannot disclose his real name for privacy reason.