Avian Influenza update
Commonly known as bird flu, avian influenza is a disease of birds which presents a very low risk to human health but a significant threat to the United Kingdom’s poultry industry and kept bird populations, in addition to posing a threat to natural biodiversity through its impacts on wild birds.
The risk of bird flu outbreaks occurring in the United Kingdom typically increases on a seasonal basis, with the arrival of migratory wild birds in the autumn and winter months. The first cases are usually expected in late autumn with the peak risk occurring between December and February.
It’s vital that people who keep birds to continue to practice good biosecurity to prevent further outbreaks and their birds from becoming infected with this disease.
Whether you own a few pet chickens or ducks, 1000s of poultry on a commercial premises, or farm gamebirds, you all need to implement high standards of biosecurity. This is the key to preventing the spread of this disease. Although wild birds have introduced the disease, it is often humans that cause the spread to their birds.
Latest Update
An avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) is in place across GB. This means that it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers within the zone to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks, of whatever type or size.
Bird gatherings of poultry, galliforme or anseriforme birds are banned in England and Wales. This includes ducks, geese, swans, pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl.
Gatherings of galliformes (chickens, pheasants & turkeys) are now permitted in Scotland, subject to conditions. Gatherings of Anseriformes (ducks & geese) are still banned
Gatherings of other captive birds will continue to be permitted, providing you follow and meet all the requirements of the captive bird gathering general licence.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N5 and H5N1 have been detected in wild birds in Great Britain this autumn.
The risk of HPAI H5 in wild birds in Great Britain is assessed as high (event occurs very often).
The risk of poultry exposure to HPAI H5 in Great Britain is assessed as:
- medium (event occurs regularly) (with high uncertainty) where there is suboptimal or poor biosecurity
- low (event is rare but does occur) (with high uncertainty) where stringent biosecurity is consistently applied at all times.
While findings of HPAI in wild birds during recent years have been dominated by the H5N1 virus strain, the finding of HPAI H5N5 was likely this season and follows previous findings in Great Britain and recent detections of the strain in continental Europe.
Keepers must practice good biosecurity at all times to protect the health and welfare of their birds and for commercial keepers will help protect their business from HPAI and other diseases.
GOV.UK Avian Influenza guidance