Snowbirds: Six Months in Florida With — or Without — Your Bird

If your bird is on the approved species list, the US side of a winter in Florida is the lightest paperwork in this whole cluster: no import permit, no US health certificate, no quarantine — just an inspection and a signed declaration. If it isn’t, the Wild Bird Conservation Act blocks the trip outright, and that has nothing to do with how long you’re staying or how you’re getting there.

The species question decides everything — not the length of your stay

Snowbirds tend to assume that a short, personal, non-commercial trip gets some kind of break that a permanent move wouldn’t. For the bird itself, that’s true on the animal-health side. It is not true on the wildlife-conservation side, and that’s the distinction that trips people up.

A budgie, cockatiel, Indian ringneck, lovebird or other species on the 50 CFR 15.33 approved list can be brought into the United States as a personal pet without a US Fish and Wildlife Service import permit for that trip. Unconfirmed: we could not verify this against an official source — specifically, your specific species is currently on the 50 CFR 15.33 approved list. Please confirm with the US Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-800-344-9453 or fws.gov/permits before you rely on it for your own bird.

Species that are commonly kept but not on that list include African greys, all macaws, all amazons, all cockatoos, eclectus, caiques, senegals, pionus, and every conure except the Jendaya (Aratinga jandaya). For those, 50 CFR 15.11 prohibits the import of a CITES-listed exotic bird that isn’t on the approved list, and the prohibition is written against the word “import” itself — there is no carve-out in the text for a short stay, a temporary visit, or a bird accompanying its owner. It doesn’t matter that you’re only there for the winter, and it doesn’t matter whether you fly or drive. Unconfirmed: we could not verify this against an official source — specifically, your species’ current status against the 50 CFR 15.33 approved list and the Wild Bird Conservation Act prohibition. Please confirm with the US Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-800-344-9453 or fws.gov/permits before you rely on it for your own bird.

Our African Grey and CITES Appendix I article covers that one species in more depth, but the honest summary for a snowbird is: a cockatiel can likely spend the winter in Florida, and an African grey most likely cannot — and that split runs by species, not by trip length.

Going south: the 90-day owner declaration

For an approved-list species travelling as a personal pet, 9 CFR 93.101(c)(1) is the route in. Three things fall away that would otherwise apply to a commercial or non-pet import: no US import permit, because 93.103(a)(1) excepts a bird moving under 93.101(c); no US veterinary health certificate, because 93.104(a) excepts the same; and no 30-day quarantine on arrival, because 93.106(a) excepts it too.

What’s still required is a veterinary inspection at the port of entry under 93.105, and a signed statement from you that you’ve had the bird in your personal possession for at least 90 days immediately before the trip, with no contact with poultry or other birds during that time.

That 90-day, no-contact condition is worth pausing on, because it’s the one place our own service could work against you. If your bird has just come home from a boarding stay — ours or anyone’s — where it was housed around other birds, that contact resets the clock the declaration relies on. If you’re planning a winter in Florida, think about the timing of any boarding in the months before you travel, not just the months you’re away.

Coming home: section 13 and the household clock

The trip back into Canada runs on a different instrument entirely. A pet bird returning from the United States is covered by section 13 of the CFIA Import Reference Document, which is incorporated by reference into the Health of Animals Regulations. Section 13(1) sets out the conditions under which a person may import a personally owned pet bird from the United States on an owner declaration — no Ministerial permit, no CFIA veterinary health certificate — provided the declaration states that the bird is your personal pet and not for sale, that it hasn’t been in contact with other birds, and that it has been in your personal possession in Canada or the US for the 90 days immediately preceding entry.

The part snowbirds miss is what comes after re-entry: no other member of your household may import a second bird under section 13 for the following 90 days. If you bring your bird home in April and start thinking about a companion bird in May, that clock is still running. Our article on returning to Canada with your own bird walks through this declaration in full.

If you’re driving: which ports actually take a bird

Most snowbirds drive, and the port question is genuinely more tangled than it should be — the regulation cross-references itself inconsistently, so it’s worth reading carefully rather than trusting a single sentence out of context.

Start with the section that actually names the doors a bird can walk through. 9 CFR 93.102, headed “Ports designated for the importation of birds,” designates Los Angeles and San Ysidro, California; Miami, Florida; New York, New York; Baudette, Minnesota; and Hidalgo, Texas as ports of entry, and 93.102(d) adds a further list of limited-purpose ports on top of that.

Separately, 9 CFR 93.105(b) extends that reach for a Canadian-origin pet bird specifically: birds of Canadian origin “shall be subject to veterinary inspection at any of the ports of entry listed in 93.102 and 93.203” — not just 93.102 on its own. That’s the sentence that pulls in the land border crossings, because 93.203(b) is where the Canadian border ports are actually listed: Buffalo, Alexandria Bay and Champlain, New York; Detroit, Port Huron and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Dunseith, Pembina and Portal, North Dakota; Derby Line and Highgate Springs, Vermont; Baudette, Minnesota; Eastport, Idaho; Houlton and Jackman, Maine; Opheim, Raymond and Sweetgrass, Montana; and Oroville and Sumas, Washington. Buffalo and Detroit are the two a GTA driver reaches most easily, but they aren’t the only ones on the list — the whole set in 93.203(b) is open to a Canadian-origin pet bird because of the 93.105(b) link, not narrowed down to those two.

Where the port comes from	What it designates	Ports
9 CFR 93.102(a)	General ports for importing birds	Los Angeles & San Ysidro CA, Miami FL, New York NY, Baudette MN, Hidalgo TX
9 CFR 93.102(d)	Additional limited-purpose ports	Not confirmed — ask them
9 CFR 93.203(b), reached via 93.105(b)	Canadian land border ports open to Canadian-origin pet birds	Buffalo, Alexandria Bay & Champlain NY; Detroit, Port Huron & Sault Ste. Marie MI; Dunseith, Pembina & Portal ND; Derby Line & Highgate Springs VT; Baudette MN; Eastport ID; Houlton & Jackman ME; Opheim, Raymond & Sweetgrass MT; Oroville & Sumas WA

Now the part we’d rather not have to print, because it makes the reader’s job harder rather than easier — but glossing over it would be worse. 9 CFR 93.101(c)(1) itself tells you to use “any port of entry designated in 93.103 or 93.203,” but 93.103 is actually the section on import permits and quarantine reservation fees, not ports at all; the section that actually designates ports is 93.102. Separately, the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s own regulation for a personally owned pet bird, 50 CFR 14.17, points you to “any port designated under, and in accordance with, 9 CFR part 92” — but part 92, as it stands today, covers disease-risk region classification, not port designations at all. Both cross-references appear to be stale or simply wrong, and we’re not going to guess which one governs your specific crossing.

The only safe move here is to confirm the specific crossing you plan to use directly with APHIS, in writing, before you drive anywhere with the bird. Our Canada-to-US driving and flying article covers the Canadian side of the drive — the carrier and vehicle requirements under Part XII of the Health of Animals Regulations — in full, so we won’t repeat it here.

Flying, or connecting through the United States

If you’re flying rather than driving, and especially if your itinerary connects through a US airport on the way somewhere else, a different section applies: 9 CFR 93.107(a), “In-bond shipments from Canada,” reads that birds from Canada transported in-bond through the United States for immediate export “shall be inspected at the border port of entry and, when accompanied by an import permit obtained under Sec. 93.103 of this part and all conditions therein are observed, shall be allowed entry.” That conditions in-bond transit on the same import permit that 93.103(a)(1) normally excepts for a personally owned pet bird under 93.101(c).

Whether that language governs a passenger simply changing planes with a bird in the cabin, as opposed to a customs-controlled cargo shipment, is not resolved by the text, and we’re not going to resolve it for you here. If a Florida trip involves connecting through a US airport rather than flying direct, confirm the specifics with APHIS before you book.

When boarding, not travel, is the honest answer

For an approved-list species that can meet the 90-day possession and no-contact condition, the bird can very likely make the trip — say that plainly before anything about boarding. Boarding is the honest recommendation in a narrower set of cases: a species the Wild Bird Conservation Act blocks outright, an owner who genuinely can’t meet the 90-day no-contact condition before travel, or a bird whose health makes a long drive or flight unwise. On that last point, section 139 of the Health of Animals Regulations bars transporting a bird that is unfit for the journey — that’s a welfare rule, not a sales pitch.

It’s also worth being upfront about the trade-off: a long boarding stay is itself a period of contact with other birds, so it can start the next 90-day clock running before your following winter’s trip. If you board this year, factor that timing into next year’s plans too.

If boarding is the right call for your bird, the monthly rate is what matters for a season-long stay, not the daily one:

Bird size	Example species	Monthly rate
Small	Budgie, canary, finch	$360
Medium	Conure, cockatiel, Quaker	$480
Large	Caique, ringneck, pionus	$600
Extra large	Eclectus, African grey, cockatoo	$720

Rates current at time of writing — check /pricing/ for today’s. All include daily photos and videos, food and water, fresh fruit and vegetables, and interaction; multiple birds housed together get a discount on each additional bird. Our long-term boarding article covers 30, 60 and 90+ day stays in more depth.

To be clear about what we do and don’t offer here: Bird Sitting Toronto boards your bird if it can’t travel with you, and helps rehome a bird that genuinely can’t make the trip at all. We don’t file permits, complete declarations, or advise on customs or wildlife-conservation status — everything above is information to take to CFIA, APHIS or Fish and Wildlife, not a service we perform on your behalf.

If a winter in Florida means your bird needs somewhere stable to stay for a season rather than a car seat, you can get a quote through our booking page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take my cockatiel or budgie to Florida for the winter?

Very likely yes on the animal-health side: species on the 50 CFR 15.33 approved list need no US import permit, no US health certificate and no quarantine to enter as a personal pet, just an inspection and a signed 90-day declaration. Unconfirmed: we could not verify this against an official source — specifically, your species is currently on the 50 CFR 15.33 approved list. Please confirm with the US Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-800-344-9453 or fws.gov/permits before you rely on it for your own bird.

Can I bring my African grey, macaw, amazon or cockatoo to Florida?

The Wild Bird Conservation Act’s import prohibition at 50 CFR 15.11 has no exemption for a temporary or personal trip, and these species are not on the 50 CFR 15.33 approved list. Unconfirmed: we could not verify this against an official source — specifically, your specific species’ current status against the approved list and the WBCA prohibition. Please confirm with the US Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-800-344-9453 or fws.gov/permits before you rely on it for your own bird.

Which border crossing should I use to drive into the US with my bird?

Canadian-origin pet birds can use the land ports listed in 9 CFR 93.203(b) — Buffalo and Detroit are the two closest for a GTA driver — because 9 CFR 93.105(b) extends veterinary inspection to “any of the ports of entry listed in 93.102 and 93.203.” However, 93.101(c)(1) itself cites 93.103 rather than 93.102 for port designations, and 93.103 is actually about import permits and fees, not ports — a cross-reference error we can’t resolve for you. Confirm your specific crossing with APHIS in writing before you drive.

Does a short winter stay avoid the 90-day possession rule?

No. The 90-day possession and no-contact condition applies to the declaration itself, not to how long you’re staying in Florida — it’s about the 90 days before you cross, regardless of your return date.

If my bird just came from boarding, can it still travel south?

Possibly not right away. The US declaration requires no contact with other birds for the 90 days before entry, so a recent boarding stay around other birds can reset that clock — plan the timing of any boarding around your travel dates.

Can I bring home a second bird soon after returning from Florida?

Not under section 13 of the Import Reference Document. Once your bird enters Canada under a section 13 declaration, no other member of your household may import another bird under section 13 for the following 90 days.

Does flying instead of driving avoid the species restriction?

No. The Wild Bird Conservation Act’s import prohibition applies regardless of whether you arrive by land or by air.

What if my flight connects through a US airport on the way to another country?

That’s a different question from a direct US entry. 9 CFR 93.107(a) governs in-bond transit through the US and conditions it on an import permit, and whether that applies to a passenger simply changing planes with a bird in the cabin isn’t resolved by the text. Confirm with APHIS before booking a connecting itinerary.

Related guides in this series

• Importing a Pet Bird to Canada: The Complete CFIA Guide (2026)
• Moving Abroad and You Can’t Take Your Bird: Board, Rehome, or Wait
• Long-Term Bird Boarding While You Relocate: 30, 60 and 90+ Days
• Taking Your Bird from Canada to the United States: Driving vs Flying
• Rehoming a Bird Because You’re Emigrating: How to Do It Without Wrecking the Bird
• Bringing a Pet Bird to Canada From Outside the US: Why You Need a Permit

Who to call before you travel

Confirm every requirement below with the agency itself. These are the people who
can actually authorise your bird’s movement — we cannot.

Every number below was checked against the agency’s own website on
27 July 2026. Government phone numbers and web pages still change without notice.
If one does not connect, find the agency through its own official site rather than trusting
what is printed here.

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) — import and export of live
  birds, health certificates, permits: 1-800-442-2342 from
  Canada and the US, or 1-613-773-2342 local and
  international, 8 am to 7 pm EST Monday to Friday except holidays. CFIA names
  services related to travelling with pets as something its area offices handle —
  for the GTA that is the Mississauga animal health office,
  289-247-4100, 8 am to 4 pm
  · inspection.canada.ca
• Environment and Climate Change Canada — CITES permitting — export and
  import permits for CITES-listed species, and what documents exist for repeat crossings:
  1-855-869-8670
  · cites@ec.gc.ca
• Canada Border Services Agency — what happens at the border itself,
  declarations and inspection fees: 1-800-461-9999, Monday to
  Friday 8 am to 4 pm local time. Press 0 to reach an agent; CBSA’s published
  service standard is to answer within 20 minutes
• USDA APHIS — the US pet-travel hub, with separate paths for import,
  export and interstate movement, and the list of which birds count as pets at all:
  aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel
• US Fish & Wildlife Service — CITES and Wild Bird Conservation Act
  permits, applied for through the ePermits portal at
  fws.gov/permits. The agency
  contact centre is 1-800-344-9453
  · info@fws.gov

What we can and cannot help with

We cannot help with paperwork. Bird Sitting Toronto is a bird
boarding and care business. We are not a customs broker, an immigration consultant, a
veterinary practice or a legal adviser. We do not file permits, complete applications or
deal with any agency on your behalf, and we cannot guarantee any outcome at any border.
Everything on this page is information only.

There are two things we can do. If your bird cannot travel with you
— because the paperwork is still in progress, the airline will not carry it, or the
timing simply does not work — we can board
your bird in the GTA for as long as you need, including by the month. And if it
becomes clear the bird genuinely cannot come with you, we can help you
rehome it to a good home rather
than leaving you to sort that out alone.

We publish this guide because our boarding clients ask us about it constantly, and
because the answer is genuinely hard to assemble from the primary sources.