Mailing Doves: Can you DO that?!
by Wade Oliver

Quite often I hear from someone who is new to the dove keeping hobby something like, "Mailing doves? Can you DO that?!" Just recently (9/03) I actually saw a topic on the message board titled "Mail order doves? or Where do you get YOUR doves?"

I remember being new to the hobby many years ago and wondering the same thing. I was introduced to doves by a friend in college and quickly became hooked. I began to learn about all of the different varieties of Ringneck Dove (Streptopelia risoria) and that there were also a number of other dove species available. I searched and searched throughout my local city and state and couldn't find anyone else who raised different doves than I already had (Blond, White, Dark and Blond Pied Ringnecks). Finally, someone mentioned to me in passing that there was a gentleman in Louisianna who kept many dove species. So I called him on the phone.

He rattled off for me which birds he had available and what they would cost (All the while I was wondering about how I could ever get the birds to me in Utah).

Finally he said, "If you want any of these birds you will only have to pay $20 to ship them."

I said, "You will ship them to me?"

He said, "Yep, right through the mail."

I repeated, probably sounding like I thought he was nuts, "Through the MAIL?!"

He laughed at my shock and explained to me all about how it is possible to ship doves through the mail. He explained that doves are considered poultry by the US Postal Service and that poultry could be shipped via Express Mail (overnight) service.

Well, I was just elated. I couldn't believe my luck. I told my new friend that I would call him back soon and immediately started planning how I was going to make room for more doves.

Since that time I have had the opportunity to receive and send many doves throught he mail (literally hundereds). To date, I have never had a bird injured or killed. In fact, it is just the opposite. They have all arrived healthy, happy and ready for their new home after what seems like just a longer night than usual.

Shipping Tips
When you are shipping birds you need to make sure that you have/do the following things.

1. Make sure you have an approved shipping box. In order to ship birds your shipping box must be 1) large enough for the birds to rest comfortably, 2) equipped with a "bio-filter" over the air holes, and 3) equpped with a "viewing-window" for the USPS to be able to inspect the package contents. Don't let this description of requirements scare you off. There are actually special shipping boxes designed and manufactured specifically for shipping birds. Perhaps the most popular (and in my opinion the best) are those created by Horizon Micro Environments.
2. Make sure that there is enough proper bedding in the bottom of the box. There needs to be a layer of bedding at least 1"-2" deep. Good bedding materials include soft, dried pine needles, wood shavings or shredded newspaper.
3. You may want to include a setup for food and water, especially for the smaller dove species like diamond doves. Larger doves typically do just fine without food or water during shipping. I always suggest letting your doves eat and drink as much as they can before their trip. I actually leave the lights on throughout the night before so the birds will stay awake longer and eat more. This way they are also more apt to enjoy the time in the dark during their trip.