Shipping & delivery

• Airline live-animal cargo: direct flights only, no overnight layovers. Typically same-day door-to-airport, collected by you at the destination cargo desk.
• Private ground courier: climate-controlled vehicle, door to door, used for long-distance moves during flight embargoes and for nervous or very large birds.
• Aviary pickup: by appointment, with a handover session covering diet, handling and the first week at home.

We will not fly a bird when forecast temperatures at origin, destination or any transit point fall outside roughly 7°C to 29°C (45°F to 85°F). Embargoes are non-negotiable and can delay a booked flight by days. When that happens we reschedule at no extra cost or switch to ground transport at the difference in fare.

• An IATA-compliant hard carrier sized to the species, with a solid perch and shredded paper bedding.
• Familiar food and moisture-rich produce rather than open water, to avoid spills and chilling.
• A travel label with the bird's band number, our contact number and feeding instructions.
• A copy of the health certificate and DNA sexing result attached to the outside of the crate.

Shipping is quoted per bird and per route once the destination is confirmed; nothing is hidden at checkout. Most domestic placements travel within 7 to 14 days of the bird being cleared to fly. Cargo bookings must be made at least 72 hours ahead, and flights are booked for mid-week where possible to avoid weekend cargo desk closures.

• Collect your bird as soon as the cargo desk releases it; do not leave it waiting.
• Drive straight home with the carrier secured and the cabin at a steady temperature.
• Open the carrier inside a closed room, offer warm familiar food and water, and let the bird settle for several hours before handling.
• Book the 72-hour veterinary examination required by the health guarantee before the bird arrives.

Full details of that examination are on the health guarantee page.

Cross-border placements require CITES export and import permits, an accredited veterinary certificate and, in most jurisdictions, a quarantine period at an approved facility. Timelines run from several weeks to several months. We only proceed where the paperwork is complete and lawful in both countries.