The short answer
Moving a pet bird to Taiwan is possible but tightly controlled — birds are the hardest common pet to relocate here. Three separate regimes stack on top of each other: international CITES rules for protected species (especially parrots), Taiwan's avian-influenza country restrictions, and standard veterinary quarantine. Any one of them can stop a bird move, so the golden rule is to confirm eligibility for your exact species and origin country before you plan anything else.
The three hurdles
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CITES — is your species protected?
- Many parrots (and other exotics) are listed under CITES, requiring export and import permits proving the bird was legally acquired. Get this checked first — it's the slowest permit to obtain.
-
Avian influenza — is your country cleared?
- Taiwan restricts pet-bird imports from countries or states listed as avian-influenza affected. Your origin must be off that list on your travel dates, and the bird must not be vaccinated against avian influenza.
-
Quarantine and health
- Expect a veterinary health certificate and a quarantine arrangement, with the bird examined and required to be clinically healthy throughout.
Where different birds fall
| Bird type | Main consideration |
|---|---|
| Parrots, macaws, cockatoos, African greys | Very likely CITES-listed — permits essential and slow to obtain. |
| Budgies, cockatiels, canaries, finches | Usually not CITES-restricted, but still subject to avian-influenza and quarantine rules. |
| Poultry / non-pet species | Governed by separate, stricter import rules — not a pet-relocation pathway. |
The realistic path
Start with a species-and-country eligibility check, in writing, from the authorities.
Because avian-influenza lists change and CITES paperwork takes time, a bird move needs a longer
runway and less certainty than a dog or cat. Confirm first, then plan the airline and logistics —
never the other way round. Other small and exotic pets have their own rules: see
rabbits and
guinea pigs. Moving a mixed-species household to
Taiwan? Tell us what you have and we'll map each animal's route.
Want this handled for you?
Everything in this article is work 886JetPet does daily on the Taiwan corridor — the paperwork, the calendar, the airline, the arrival. One quote, one team, door to door.