How to Sell Pet Birds in the United States | PetzLover

Which pet birds can you legally sell?

Common captive-bred pet birds such as budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds, canaries, finches and most parrots can be sold in most of the US, but several rules apply.

• Native wild birds: the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act bars capturing, selling or trading native migratory birds, their nests or eggs without a permit. A songbird taken from the wild can never be listed.
• Imported birds: the Wild Bird Conservation Act limits imports of exotic birds, and most parrots are protected under CITES. Sell captive-bred birds with a clear history.
• State restricted species: monk (Quaker) parakeets are restricted in California and named in Pennsylvania's wildlife rules, and other states have their own lists. Check your state and ask where the buyer lives.
• USDA licensing: under the federal Animal Welfare Act, people who sell pet birds as dealers may need a USDA license. The rules exempt small sellers, for example someone who sells 200 or fewer pet birds weighing 250 grams (about 9 ounces) or less, or 8 or fewer larger birds, a year. If you breed on a larger scale, ask USDA APHIS.
• Local rules: some cities and counties regulate selling animals or keeping poultry. Check before you list.

If you sell chickens, ducks or other poultry, USDA APHIS advises buyers to look for flocks in the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP), and moving poultry across state lines can require testing. Ask your state veterinarian what applies to you.

How do you get a bird ready for sale?

1. Book an avian vet exam and keep the written results, including any tests for chlamydiosis (psittacosis), polyomavirus or beak and feather disease.
2. Write down the hatch date, sex and how it was determined, and the leg band letters and numbers.
3. Sell baby parrots only once they are fully weaned and eating on their own.
4. Write a short care sheet: current diet, daily routine, favorite toys and any words or tricks.
5. Clean the cage and accessories if they are included, and list what comes with the bird.
6. Take current photos and a short video in good daylight.

How should you price a pet bird?

Price by species first, then adjust for age, tameness, color mutation, band and records, and whether a cage is included. Hand-fed, tame young parrots sell for more than untamed adults. Compare similar listings near you before you set a figure.

A price far below the usual range draws scammers and impulse buyers; a fair price draws people who have budgeted for care.

How do you write a pet bird ad that gets serious buyers?

• A clear title with species, age and your city, for example: Hand-fed cockatiel, 6 months, Dallas.
• Hatch date, sex if known, band details and vet history.
• An honest description of temperament: tame or not, noise level, biting, talking.
• What is included: cage, carrier, food, toys.
• Price and pickup only.

You can post a free ad on PetzLover; buyers can message you through PetzLover. Your listing appears alongside other pet birds for sale near the buyer. If you are giving a bird away instead, read how to give away a pet bird safely, or see how to rehome a pet bird responsibly for an adult parrot you are parting with.

How do you screen bird buyers?

Ask a few questions by message before sharing your address:

1. Have you kept birds before, and which species?
2. Where will the cage be, and how many hours a day is someone home?
3. Do you have an avian vet in mind?
4. Do you have other birds or pets such as cats?
5. Which state do you live in? (Some species are restricted.)

Be cautious with a buyer who will not talk on the phone or video, wants the bird shipped without seeing it, offers to pay more than your price and asks you to refund the difference, or wants to send a courier with a check. These are common patterns of fake-payment scams. If a buyer or listing looks like a scam, use the Report Scam button.

How do you take payment and hand over a bird safely?

1. Meet at your home with another adult present, or a safe public place if the bird travels well in a carrier.
2. Take cash, or wait until any electronic payment has fully cleared before you hand over the bird.
3. Sign a simple bill of sale: date, price, species, band number, hatch date, health information given, and both names.
4. Hand over the records, care sheet and a few days of the bird's usual food.
5. Remind the buyer to book an avian vet exam within one to two weeks and to keep the bird apart from other birds until then.

Buyers will be reading our guide on how to buy a pet bird, so expect questions about records and health; answering them openly builds trust.