Can You Own a Parrot in Wyoming? A Legal Breakdown for Bird Owners
August 25, 2026
If you’re wondering can you own a parrot in Wyoming, the short answer is yes for most companion species, but the details matter more than the headline. Wyoming doesn’t have a single statute that says “parrots are legal” or “parrots are banned.” Instead, ownership sits at the intersection of state wildlife rules, federal conservation law, and whatever ordinance your city or county happens to have on the books.
That patchwork approach catches a lot of new bird owners off guard, especially those bringing home larger or rarer species. Below, you’ll find what Wyoming law actually says about parrot ownership, which species draw extra scrutiny, and where to check before you sign an adoption contract or import papers for a bird from out of state.
Is It Legal to Own a Parrot in Wyoming
For the vast majority of pet parrots, ownership in Wyoming is straightforward. Parrots aren’t illegal to own in the U.S., but there may be restrictions, and certain species may be illegal or banned. Wyoming follows that same pattern: common companion species like African greys, macaws, Amazons, and cockatiels are widely kept and sold across the state without incident.
Where things get more complicated is Wyoming’s broader wildlife possession framework. Prior to importing, possessing or transporting live wildlife in Wyoming, a permit is required. That rule is administered by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD), and Wyoming statute defines the category broadly. Exotic species means any wild animals, including amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, crustaceans or birds not found in a wild, free or unconfined status in Wyoming.
That definition technically sweeps in non-native birds, though in practice, WGFD’s day-to-day enforcement leans heavily toward genuinely wild or dangerous animals rather than pet-trade birds bred in captivity for generations. Domesticated companion animals get a specific carve-out. Common pets such as domestic varieties of dogs, cats, gerbils, hamsters, mice, rats, guinea pigs and ferrets are exempted from Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulations. Parrots aren’t named in that exemption list, which is one reason the rules feel murkier for bird owners than for someone buying a hamster.
Important Note: Wyoming’s wildlife statutes and WGFD’s public guidance don’t spell out a bright-line answer for captive-bred companion parrots the way they do for wolves or big game. If you’re bringing home an unusual or large species, a quick call to your local game warden confirms whether your specific bird needs paperwork before it ever leaves the breeder’s aviary.
Separately, Wyoming’s own trophy and big game statute has nothing to do with parrots at all. There shall be no private ownership of live animal as classified in this act as big or trophy game animals or of any wolf or wolf hybrid, with big game meaning antelope, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, moose, or mountain goat, and trophy game meaning black bear, grizzly bear, or mountain lions. That law targets native Wyoming wildlife, not companion birds, so don’t confuse it with the separate exotic-species permit system that could touch your parrot.
Which Parrot Species Face Restrictions in Wyoming
Most pet-trade parrots sail through without issue, but a handful of species carry real restrictions in Wyoming. The clearest example is the Quaker parrot, also called the monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus). Quaker parrots are illegal to own as pets in several states, typically due to concerns about their ability to form feral populations and impact local ecosystems or agriculture, and Wyoming is among the states where Quaker parrots are illegal. Wyoming lawmakers grouped the bird with agricultural pests rather than typical companion animals, largely because escaped Quakers build large communal nests that can damage utility infrastructure and crops in warmer states.
Wyoming isn’t alone in that stance, and the list of states shifts over time. A current state-by-state Quaker parrot legality list is worth checking if you’re relocating with a Quaker you already own, since some states allow grandfathered birds while banning new acquisitions. If you already keep this species and want to understand its behavior and needs better, our guide on Quaker parrot facts covers the traits that make them both popular and controversial.
Beyond Quakers, restrictions tend to track federal endangered species protections rather than state-specific bans. Several macaw species fall into this category. Glaucous macaws, indigo macaws, and blue-throated macaws are covered under the Endangered Species Act. Other rare macaws face similar scrutiny: Blue Headed Macaw, Lears macaws, Spix macaws, and Blue Throated Macaws are currently banned, with more species like Hyacinth macaws expected to face tighter controls as conservation status changes.
The table below breaks down how common companion species compare to the handful of restricted birds discussed above.
| Parrot Type | General Legal Status in Wyoming | Main Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| African Grey | Legal, no special state permit typically needed | CITES Appendix I species, breeding/import records matter |
| Common Macaws (blue-and-gold, scarlet) | Legal | Captive-bred documentation recommended |
| Amazon Parrots | Legal | None major, check local noise ordinances |
| Cockatiels and Budgies | Legal | No restrictions noted |
| Eclectus Parrots | Legal | None major |
| Quaker Parrot (Monk Parakeet) | Restricted / not legal to acquire new | Invasive species concern |
| Hyacinth Macaw and other rare macaws | Heavily restricted | Endangered Species Act, CITES Appendix I |
If you’re drawn to a smaller, Australian-native species instead of a large macaw, cockatiels and budgerigars fall under Australian parrot species that carry no special Wyoming restrictions at all. On the opposite end of the size spectrum, if you’re considering one of the largest macaw species, it’s worth double-checking that particular bird’s conservation status before you buy, since size and rarity often go together in this hobby.
Federal Laws That May Apply to Parrot Ownership
Even when Wyoming state law stays quiet on a species, federal law usually has an opinion. Three federal frameworks matter most for parrot owners: the Endangered Species Act, the Wild Bird Conservation Act, and CITES enforcement through the Lacey Act.
The Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 was written specifically because of the parrot and songbird trade. The Wild Bird Conservation Act’s purposes include ensuring that all imports into the United States of species of exotic birds are biologically sustainable and not detrimental to the species, ensuring imported birds aren’t subject to inhumane treatment during capture and transport, and assisting wild bird conservation programs in countries of origin. In practical terms, this Act prohibits the importation of exotic birds into the U.S. except by permit. If you’re bringing a wild-caught parrot in from overseas, or even importing a captive-bred bird without the right paperwork, this is the law that governs the process.
The Lacey Act adds a second layer of federal exposure, and it can catch people who never intended to break any law. Under the statute’s framework, a hypothetical dealer who buys a wild-caught parrot from someone in South America may not know the exact law violated but knows generally that capturing wild birds for the pet trade is illegal in the country of origin, and would still be considered to know the bird was illegally taken for purposes of the Lacey Act. Buyers face lower exposure than dealers, but a buyer could still be guilty of a misdemeanor if the government proves the buyer should have known, through the exercise of due care, that the bird was taken or imported illegally.
Related federal statutes round out the picture. Penalties under related federal wildlife statutes can include imprisonment for up to six months and fines, and separate provisions address importing or shipping certain injurious birds and animals into the country. None of this typically touches a hobbyist buying a domestically bred African grey from a licensed breeder, but it becomes very relevant if you’re importing a bird, buying from an unlicensed overseas source, or acquiring a species with any CITES Appendix I history.
Health regulation is the other federal and state overlap worth knowing about. Multiple agencies share jurisdiction here: the Wyoming Livestock Board, Wyoming Department of Health, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, counties, municipalities and subdivisions have all enacted further rules and regulations pertaining to the possession of wildlife. Psittacosis, better known as parrot fever (psittacosis), is a zoonotic disease that occasionally triggers additional screening requirements for commercial breeders and importers, even though it rarely affects individual pet owners who buy from reputable sources.
Pro Tip: Ask any breeder or seller for proof of captive-bred origin and, if applicable, CITES documentation before you buy a macaw, cockatoo, or African grey. It protects you from Lacey Act exposure and makes any future WGFD or interstate travel questions much easier to answer.
Permits Required to Own a Restricted Parrot in Wyoming
For the average companion parrot owner in Wyoming, no individual state permit application is necessary. The permit system exists for a narrower slice of situations: importing wildlife, possessing a species WGFD classifies as regulated wildlife, or operating a commercial or research-related bird program.
Here’s how the process generally works when a permit is required:
- Determine species classification. Contact your local game warden or WGFD regional office to confirm whether your specific bird falls under regulated wildlife rather than the exempted domestic-pet category.
- Select the correct permit chapter. A permit is required prior to importation, possession and transportation for certain warm-blooded wildlife under Chapter 10, though a permit may be authorized upon approval for other warm-blooded wildlife not otherwise specified. Research, education, or special-purpose situations instead fall under a different track: wildlife used for scientific research, education, or a special purpose deemed beneficial to conservation or management goals may, upon approval, be possessed with a Chapter 33 permit.
- Submit your application for review. Each application to possess live wildlife is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and applications should be submitted to your local game warden or fisheries biologist for initial approval.
- Meet any housing or condition requirements. If a species is allowed for possession under a permit, wildlife housing restrictions and other conditions may be required prior to permit issuance and during the permit’s time frame.
- Comply with permit terms going forward. Permit holders must comply with all conditions of the permit issued, along with any applicable Wyoming statutes, Commission regulations, federal statutes, and county or municipal rules.
Full details on this process, including downloadable forms, are available through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s wildlife possession permit page. The department also publishes a quick-reference Possessing Wildlife brochure that lists commonly asked-about species and whether they need a permit at all.
If your bird is a common companion species like an African grey parrot, a blue-fronted Amazon parrot, or one of the many Amazon parrot species bred in captivity across the U.S., you’ll likely find that no individual permit is expected of you as a private owner. The permit question becomes far more pressing if you’re a breeder, importer, or planning to display birds commercially.
Local Ordinances That May Apply in Wyoming
State and federal law are only part of the equation. Wyoming leaves a lot of pet-related decision-making to cities and counties, and that’s where a legal-at-the-state-level parrot can still run into trouble locally.
- City and county animal codes: Some municipalities specifically exclude “wild” or “exotic” animals from residential zones, a category that can sweep in large parrots depending on how the ordinance defines the term. Our breakdown of residential zoning pet limits in Wyoming walks through how these local rules typically read.
- Registration requirements: Some cities require pet registration regardless of species. As one example, Cheyenne’s animal code focuses on registration and conduct rather than species-specific bans for birds.
- HOA covenants: Homeowners’ association rules can be more restrictive than any government ordinance, and they apply even where city law is silent on parrots entirely.
- Noise ordinances: Large parrots are loud, and Wyoming municipalities that regulate animal noise don’t always limit that language to roosters or dogs. It’s worth reviewing Wyoming’s rooster crowing laws for a sense of how noise complaints against animals get handled locally, since similar standards sometimes extend to loud pet birds.
Wyoming’s statewide framework backs up this local-first approach. State law defines animal cruelty under W.S. § 6-3-1003 and allows cities and counties to adopt local animal control ordinances, and beyond that framework, Wyoming largely leaves pet quantity decisions to local governments. That means a bird perfectly legal in Cheyenne could face different rules in Laramie or an unincorporated county.
Key Insight: Because Wyoming has no statewide pet cap, never assume that rules from a neighboring city or county apply to your address; always verify the ordinance that covers your specific parcel. The same caution applies to species-specific bird restrictions.
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Restricted Parrot in Wyoming
Penalties for keeping a restricted parrot in Wyoming without proper authorization vary depending on which law you’ve run afoul of, whether that’s a state possession rule, a federal import statute, or both at once.
On the state side, WGFD’s permit system exists precisely so the department can track and, when necessary, confiscate wildlife possessed without authorization. Certain species aren’t allowed under Wyoming law at all, meaning a permit will not be issued for their possession regardless of the applicant’s intentions. For a bird that falls into that category, or one held without the required Chapter 10 or Chapter 33 paperwork, the practical consequences typically include seizure of the animal and citation under Wyoming’s wildlife statutes.
Federal penalties tend to carry more weight, particularly for imported or endangered species. A buyer who should have known, through reasonable due care, that a bird was taken or imported illegally can face misdemeanor charges under the Lacey Act. Dealers and importers who knowingly move illegally sourced birds face a higher bar entirely. A dealer doesn’t need to know the exact law violated, only that the underlying act was illegal in some way, for the offense to rise to felony-level exposure.
Related federal statutes governing injurious or illegally imported wildlife carry their own separate consequences. Penalties for violating these laws can include imprisonment for up to six months and fines, on top of whatever civil forfeiture or confiscation follows. Congressional researchers have documented how these overlapping federal statutes function together in what’s sometimes called federal Lacey Act reporting on wildlife trafficking enforcement.
The safest path, by a wide margin, is buying from a reputable domestic breeder, keeping paperwork on hand, and confirming permit requirements with WGFD before you commit to a species with any conservation-status question marks. Born Free USA’s summary of state exotic animal laws is a useful cross-reference if you’re comparing Wyoming’s approach to neighboring states before you relocate with a bird.
Common Mistake: Assuming that because a parrot species is legal in a neighboring state, it’s automatically fine in Wyoming, or vice versa. Species lists, permit categories, and local ordinances all shift at state lines, so verify before you travel or move with your bird.
Whether you’re drawn to a compact eclectus parrot or dreaming about one of the larger macaw species, the underlying rule in Wyoming stays consistent: common, captive-bred companion parrots face few state-specific hurdles, while rare, wild-caught, or invasive species trigger a much longer checklist. A short call to your local game warden before you buy is the cheapest insurance you’ll find against a permit problem down the road.