Birds you don't need a licence to keep | Licences and permits | Environment and Heritage
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Birds you don't need a licence to keep

There are 41 native bird species you can keep without a licence. You also don’t need a licence to keep exotic (non-native) bird species.

You can keep some native birds without a biodiversity conservation licence under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

It is illegal to trap and take native birds from the wild. You can be fined up to $220,000 and/or receive a 2-year prison sentence.

Native birds you can keep without a licence

You can keep the following birds without a licence:

  • Adelaide rosella
  • bar-shouldered dove
  • blue-faced parrot finch
  • Bourke’s parrot
  • brown quail
  • budgerigar
  • cockatiel
  • common bronzewing
  • crested pigeon
  • diamond dove
  • eastern rosella
  • elegant parrot
  • emerald dove
  • galah
  • Gouldian finch
  • hooded parrot
  • king quail
  • little button-quail
  • little corella
  • long-billed corella
  • musk lorikeet
  • painted button-quail
  • painted finch
  • pale-headed rosella
  • peaceful dove
  • Port Lincoln parrot
  • princess parrot
  • rainbow lorikeet
  • red-capped parrot
  • red-collared lorikeet
  • red-rumped parrot
  • scaly-breasted lorikeet
  • scarlet-chested parrot
  • star finch
  • stubble quail
  • sulphur-crested cockatoo
  • twenty-eight parrot
  • western corella
  • western rosella
  • yellow rosella
  • zebra finch.

For images of the birds you can keep without a licence, see our publication Birds you don't need a licence to keep.  

Choose your bird

  • Research different birds.
  • Talk to bird experts.
  • Contact bird groups (called avicultural societies). See a list of groups you can join

Buy your bird

Go to a licensed pet shop.