5.9 Birds, poultry and hatching eggs

Authorization

Veterinarians authorized to certify poultry and hatching eggs to the United States (U.S.) are also authorized to certify any avian species to the U.S. where the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) export certificate requires signature by an accredited veterinarian.

Warning

Poultry or birds certified with the HA1943, 1945 and 3216 certificates must have been maintained in the region from which they are offered for exportation for at least 90 days prior to shipment or since hatching, except for show poultry or birds where they have been maintained in the region of exportation and/or the United States for the 90 days preceding exportation. This 90-day period may include any post import quarantine period of up to 30 days, such that birds will then have been maintained in the region of exportation, without restriction (in other words, out of quarantine), for at least 60 days prior to shipment.

If an exporter wish to export animals before the residency period has been completed, an import permit must be requested to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The import permit will contain the required conditions, which may include a quarantine period in the U.S. If the only condition not met is the residency period, the appropriate usual health certificate will be used and the residency statement will be struck out and initialed. Contact your district office for more information.

Interpretation

Bird

all members of the class Aves other than poultry and ratites.

Poultry

means domestic fowl, including any bird in captivity: chickens, ducks, geese, grouse, guinea fowl, partridges, pea fowl, pheasants, quail, swans and turkeys (and their eggs for hatching).

Columbiformes

means domestic doves and pigeons.

Export of day-old poultry and hatching eggs (HA1942)
Health certification

Export certificate HA1942 Export of Day-Old Poultry/Hatching Eggs to the United States of America must be used to certify day-old poultry and/or hatching eggs.

The flocks of origin and hatchery must have been inspected within 30 days of export and found to be free of any evidence of communicable diseases of poultry and, as far as it is possible to determine, must not have been exposed to any such disease in the 90-day^Footnote 1 period preceding the date of export.

The flock of origin must have participated in a pullorum eradication program recognized by Canadian veterinary officials.

The flock of origin of the day-old chicks or hatching eggs must have been maintained in the region from which they are being exported for at least 90 days immediately preceding the date of export.

For hatching eggs only, the addresses of all flocks of origin must be indicated on the export certificate.

Newcastle disease or fowl plague has not occurred on the premises of origin, or on any adjoining premises during the 90-day^Footnote 1 period preceding exportation.

The area where the premises of origin are located has not been under quarantine for avian diseases during the preceding 90 days^Footnote 1.

Chicks or eggs are shipped in new, clean containers in new, clean containers or appropriately sanitized packaging materials.

The exporter is responsible for determining and complying with any specific state or show requirements.

Export of poultry (except day-old chicks, hatching eggs) (HA1943)
Health certification

Export certificate HA1943 Export of Poultry to the United States of America must be used to certify poultry.

The birds must have been inspected within 30 days of export and found to be free of any evidence of communicable diseases of poultry and, as far as is possible to determine, have not been exposed to any such disease during the 90 days^Footnote 1 preceding the date of export.

The flock of origin must participate in a pullorum eradication program recognized by the veterinary officials of Canada or the flock of origin must have had its pullorum status confirmed through the use of other sampling methods such as environmental/fluff samples within the 90 days preceding export.

Samples must have been taken by the accredited veterinarian and submitted to provincial laboratories or to the Ontario Guelph laboratory.

The poultry must have been maintained in the region from which they are being exported for at least 90 days immediately preceding the date of export or since hatching, except in the case of show poultry, where poultry must have been maintained in the region of exportation and/or the U.S. for the 90-day period preceding exportation.

Newcastle disease or fowl plague has not occurred on the premises of origin, or on any adjoining premises during the 90-day^Footnote 1 period preceding exportation.

The area in which the premises of origin are located must not have been under quarantine for avian diseases during the 90 days^Footnote 1 before export.

The exporter is responsible for determining and complying with any specific state or show requirements.

Export of birds (HA1945)
Health certification

Export certificate HA1945 Export of Birds to the United States of America must be used to certify birds.

Shipments of 5 or fewer birds will be considered as Pet Bird, unless the birds are intended for resale.

• shipments of less than 5 Pet Birds do not require a health certificate unless there are restrictions in place due to avian influenza (see HA 2874 below under "Other export certificates")
• owner's of Pet Birds must only attest to the birds being in their possession for at least 90 days prior to export

The birds must have been inspected in the 30 days prior to export and found to be free of any evidence of communicable disease of poultry. Following inspection, the birds were not commingled with birds or poultry of a lesser health status than specified on this certificate until the time of export.

The birds must not have been vaccinated with any vaccine for the H5 or H7 subtype of avian influenza.

The birds are either:

• not vaccinated against Newcastle disease

  or

• have been vaccinated for avian paramyxovirus at least 21 days prior to export using vaccines that do not contain any velogenic strains of Newcastle disease virus.

Newcastle disease must not have occurred on the premises of origin or on any adjoining premises during the 90 days immediately before export.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza must not have occurred on the premises of origin or on any adjoining premises during the 28 days immediately before export.

The birds have not been under quarantine for avian diseases during the preceding 90 days^Footnote 1.

Birds need only to be identified by the species and a physical description. Individual wingbands, legbands or microchips are no longer required.The birds do not originate from and have not transited through a control zone established by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) due to outbreaks of Newcastle disease or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and are not currently under quarantine nor have any restrictions to their movement.

The birds must be maintained in the region of export until movement of the shipment for export and the birds must be placed in new, clean containers or appropriately sanitized packaging materials prior to movement from the premises of origin.

The exporter is responsible for determining and complying with any specific state or show requirements.

Export of Columbiformes (HA3216)
Health certification

During the 90 days prior to export, the birds have been continuously maintained in the region of export. Any bird that was imported from a country other than the United States must also have met Canadian domestic residency requirements (that is, fulfilled all applicable post import quarantine and testing and been in Canada at least a further 60 days).

Time spent in post import quarantine may be counted towards the 90 days held in the region.

or

The birds have been imported from a country other than the United States, have met all Canadian permanent entry conditions but have been in the region of export for less than 90 days. The shipment will be accompanied by a health certificate from each country in which the birds have resided during the 90 days prior to entry into the United States.

The birds were inspected on the premises of origin within the 30 days preceding the date of export and the birds were found to be clinically free of signs of communicable diseases of poultry.

In so far as can be determined, the birds were not suspected to have any communicable disease of poultry during the 90 days prior to the inspection date.

The birds were not vaccinated for any H5 or H7 subtype of avian influenza.

The birds were either:

• not vaccinated against Newcastle disease

  or

• vaccinated against Newcastle disease (avian paramyxovirus) at least 21 days prior to export, using vaccines that do not contain any velogenic strains of Newcastle disease virus.

The birds do not originate from and have not transited through a control zone established by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) due to outbreaks of Newcastle disease or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and are not currently under quarantine nor have any restrictions to their movement.

Note that the statement:

"do not originate from but will transit a control zone established by the CFIA due to outbreaks of Newcastle disease or HPAI and arrangements have been made for quarantine after importation. There must be no commingling of the shipment with any of other avian animals after leaving the premises of origin."

is crossed off the HA 3216 until further notice.

The birds must be maintained in the region of export until movement of the shipment for export and the birds must be placed in new, clean containers or appropriately sanitized packaging materials prior to movement from the premises of origin.

Note on Canadian pigeons returning to Canada: pigeons that will be returning to Canada must be vaccinated prior to export to the U.S. for avian paramyxovirus at least 30 days and not more than 180 days prior to their departure.

How to complete Canadian health certificates

The accredited veterinarian must use the most recent version of the export certificate and should consult the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) district veterinarian to obtain copies.

The accredited veterinarian must complete the export health certificate by entering all required information according to the directions provided above. The "Reference number" is assigned by the CFIA district office.

The completed and signed health certificate will be submitted to a CFIA veterinary inspector to review and, if all requirements are met, endorse.

Any incomplete export certificates will be returned to the accredited veterinarian for completion.

A fee is charged for CFIA endorsement.

The health certificate is valid for a period of 30 days from the date of the examination, unless specified otherwise on the certificate.

Other export certificates

The following export certificates have been developed for specific birds and situations. These certificates should be used when appropriate.

HA1774 – Export of ratites to the Unites States of America

Please note that an import permit is not required for ratites imported from Canada through a U.S.-Canadian land border port. The land border ports that may be able to accept imports of ratites are:

• Idaho: Eastport
• Maine: Houlton
• Michigan: Detroit and Port Huron
• Montana: Raymond and Sweetgrass
• New York: Alexandria Bay and Niagara Falls
• North Dakota: Dunseith, Pembina and Portal
• Vermont: Highgate Springs
• Washington: Oroville and Sumas

The United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) requires USDA import permits for shipments of avian species entering the U.S. via a land border port between Canada and Alaska.

The importer must call the port ahead of time to ensure there is someone available to meet the shipment and perform import inspection. If the ratites enter the U.S. through an air or sea port, an import permit is required.

HA2449 – Export of wild caught birds and hatching eggs to the United States of America for release (for specific use in a capture and repopulate program)

The area/control zone for HPAI and Newcastle disease refers to a 10 km radius from any known infected premises.

Sealing of the shipment may be done with any tamper evident device.

An official CFIA seal is not required

HA2874 – Export of pet birds to the United States of America

Please note that this certificate is only required when there are restrictions in place related to an avian influenza detection in domestic birds in Canada. A USDA import permit is also required in these instances. Upon successful eradication of the disease and subsequent return to disease freedom status, an import permit and certification for pet birds to the U.S. is not required.

HA2940 – Export of ratites for immediate slaughter to the United States of America.

Please note that an import permit is not required for ratites imported from Canada through a U.S.-Canadian land border port. The land border ports that may be able to accept imports of ratites are:

• Idaho: Eastport
• Maine: Houlton
• Michigan: Detroit and Port Huron
• Montana: Raymond and Sweet Grass
• New York: Alexandria Bay and Niagara Falls
• North Dakota: Dunseith, Pembina and Portal
• Vermont: Highgate Springs
• Washington: Oroville and Sumas

The USDA-APHIS requires USDA import permits for shipments of avian species entering the U.S. via a land border port between Canada and Alaska.

The importer must call the port ahead of time to ensure there is someone available to meet the shipment and perform import inspection. If the ratites enter the U.S. through an air or sea port, an import permit is required.

HA2941 – Export of ratite hatching eggs to the United States of America

Hatching eggs that were laid in Canada may import without quarantine and can use any of the following land border ports without an import permit:

• Idaho: Eastport
• Maine: Houlton and Jackman
• Michigan: Detroit, Port Huron, and Sault Ste. Marie
• Minnesota: Baudette
• Montana: Opheim, Raymond, and Sweet Grass
• New York: Alexandria Bay, Buffalo, and Champlain
• North Dakota: Dunseith, Pembina, and Portal
• Vermont: Derby Line and High gate Springs
• Washington: Oroville and Sumas

The USDA-APHIS requires USDA import permits for shipments of avian species entering the U.S. via a land border port between Canada and Alaska.

Please note that the importer must call the port ahead of time to ensure there is someone available to meet the shipment and perform import inspection. If the ratites enter the U.S. through an air or sea port, an import permit is required.

HA3059 – Export of raptors to the United States of America by land.

Please note that an import permit is also required for raptors that are allowed to hunt (free flight). An import permit is not required for export of raptors kept in total captivity (no free flight).

HA3060 – Export of conservation bird hatching eggs to the United States of America

HA3061 – Export of zoo birds to the United States of America

References

Copies of export health certificates are available at the CFIA district office.