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Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Advice on how to deal with Avian Flu

Find out how to register your birds

Update 29 April 2024

 Gatherings of anseriformes permitted from 12 noon on Friday 26 April 2024

  1. The Scottish Government confirmed that the ban on gatherings of anseriformes (ducks, geese, swans and other waterfowl), which was introduced in Scotland in December 2022 and has been a vital tool in protecting flocks, was lifted 12 noon on Friday 26 April 2024. This change will allow all bird gatherings to take place although they will continue to monitor risk levels and adjust licence conditions accordingly.

  2. Gatherings are still subject to organisers of gatherings notifying the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and complying with the provisions of the new general licence. The new licence is published on gov.scot and was effective from 12 noon on Friday 26 April.

  3. It should be noted that the new General Licence now does not include a requirement for keepers of galliformes attending a show to have their birds inspected by a vet prior to entering the show. Instead, all species are to be inspected for clinical signs of notifiable avian disease by a named bird expert, prior to them being accepted into the gathering.

This decision is based on evidence that the number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry and other captive birds, and the incidence of HPAI in wild birds, has reduced significantly in recent weeks. This, amongst other factors, has resulted in the current risk assessment of bird flu in poultry to be deemed as low. Furthermore, a risk assessment of the risks associated specifically with poultry gatherings has indicated that the risk for gatherings of birds is low for all species.

Continued Best Practice and Vigilance

Good biosecurity is still the most effective measure of disease control available, and whilst the risk of avian influenza has reduced, low risk does not mean no risk and high standards of biosecurity remain important. Bird keepers are strongly advised to apply high standards of biosecurity measures at all times to prevent and mitigate future disease outbreaks.

Poultry and other captive bird keepers are advised to remain vigilant for any signs of disease in their birds, and to seek prompt advice from their private vet if they have any concerns. They can help prevent avian flu by maintaining good biosecurity on their premises, including:

  • fencing off ponds, streams, boggy areas or standing water, and draining them where possible. Netting or covering ponds.

  • deterring wild birds by regularly walking through the area or by using predator decoys and removing any wild bird feed sources.

  • cleansing and disinfecting clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry or other captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing.

  • cleansing and disinfecting concrete or other permeable areas and putting down wood shavings in wet areas.

  • Using government approved disinfectant foot-dips when entering and exiting enclosures or houses.

  • reducing the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and other captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and use effective rodent control.

Wild Birds

The public in Great Britain are being advised that if they find at the same place at the same time:

  • a single dead bird of prey, swan, goose, duck or gull, or
  • five or more dead wild birds of any other species

you should report them to: Report dead wild birds – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Alternatively, you can phone the GB phone helpline: 03459 33 55 77.  If you wish to submit a report without providing contact details, then the telephone helpline should be used. You must be 18 or over to use this service to report dead wild birds. It is advisable that you do not touch these birds.

  • Sick or injured wild birds should be reported to the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) in Scotland by telephone (03000 999 999). 

Public Health

The risk to the general public’s health from avian influenza is still “very low”, and is considered “low” for people with intensive exposure to infected birds. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for consumers, and it does not affect the consumption of poultry products, including eggs.

GB Poultry Register

In GB, you are legally required to register your birds if you keep more than 50. It is also a legal requirement to notify APHA of any significant changes in the average number of birds kept.

Avian Influenza Wildlife Interactive Map and Dashboard

For more information see the:

For anyone interested in animal diseases, not just diseases of poultry, they may wish to sign up for free text and/or email alerts on national disease outbreaks via APHA’s subscription service. Avian influenza is a notifiable animal disease. If you suspect any type of avian influenza in poultry or other captive birds, you must report it immediately by contacting your local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Field Services Office. Failure to do so is an offence.

Further advice for bird keepers can be found at www.gov.scot/avianinfluenza.

Update 10 April 2024

DECLARATION OF HPAI FREE STATUS FOR THE UK

The UK has now declared itself free of HPAI in poultry in line with World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) rules. However, while this is good news and reflects the current situation, both HPAI H5N1 and H5N5 continue to be found in wild birds in Great Britain and Europe and outbreaks of HPAI H5N1 also continue to occur in poultry and other captive birds in several countries in Europe.  It is therefore important that poultry keepers remain vigilant and retain good biosecurity.  Indeed this is one of the pre-requisites for reduction of risk status (see below).

Change to HPAI H5 Wild Bird Risk Level

The risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 in wild birds in Great Britain has reduced from medium (event occurs regularly) to low (event is rare but does occur).

The risk of poultry exposure to HPAI H5 in Great Britain remains assessed as:

  • low (event is rare but does occur) (with medium uncertainty) where there are substantial biosecurity breaches and poor biosecurity
  • low (event is rare but does occur) (with low uncertainty) where good biosecurity is applied

The virus is still circulating in wild birds in Great Britain and all bird keepers should remain vigilant for signs of disease to protect the health and welfare of their birds.

The risk is continually reviewed, and it is too early to predict the outlook for future seasons and risk levels may increase again in autumn associated with the migratory pattern of waterfowl and environmental conditions becoming more favourable for virus survival.

To receive immediate notification of new cases and updated zones in GB please sign up to the APHA’s Animal Disease alert subscription service further details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apha-alert-subscription-service

Keepers should maintain high standards of biosecurity at all times for the health and welfare of their birds. Good biosecurity is an essential defence against diseases such as avian influenza and is key to limiting the spread of avian influenza in an outbreak. Biosecurity guidance and a biosecurity self-assessment checklist have been published by Defra to assist all bird keepers in instigating and maintaining good biosecurity

For further information on these cases and details of the measures that apply in the disease control zones currently in force see:Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-outbreaks/

Update 18 March 2024

Please be aware of amendments made to the Scottish Bird Gathering General Licence, which came into force on 15 March, and now place less onerous restrictions on keepers of less than 50 birds and those with birds of a species other than Galliformes, which have been assessed at lower risk of getting highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The main parts of the licence that have changed are as follows, but please see the full licence conditions at the link above:

  • 3. The licensee must distribute biosecurity advice in advance of the event to any participant, including the instruction that birds must  be inspected for signs of illness before travelling to any gathering, and a recommendation that any birds travelling from a gathering should be kept separate from wild birds, isolated from other kept birds at that premises and monitored for signs of illness for at least fourteen days.
  • 4. The licensee must advise participants that:

i. the premises of origin for any galliformes attending a gathering (and for premises with 50 or more poultry) must be registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on the GB Poultry Register, and that the keeper of the birds attending the gathering will need to provide evidence of registration before they are granted entry.

ii. it is recommended that all other birds should be registered on the GB Poultry Register before attending a gathering.

  • 6. The licensee must ensure that:

ii. when they arrive at the event, all galliformes remain isolated from all other birds on the event site until all such birds have been individually inspected by a named veterinary surgeon, designated by the licensee.

iii. when they arrive at the event, birds of a species other than galliformes remain isolated from all other birds on the event site until all such birds have been individually inspected by a named person, designated by the licensee, who is knowledgeable in identifying and reporting the signs of notifiable avian disease in these species.

iv. at gatherings where both galliformes and birds of a species other than galliformes are present, upon their arrival, all birds remain isolated from all other birds until they have been individually inspected by a named veterinary surgeon designated by the licensee.

  • 14. The licensee must also:

i. ensure that a veterinary surgeon is available to attend at short notice during the whole time that birds are present at the gathering, and ensure they are consulted if birds show signs of ill-health or welfare problems;

v. in the case of impervious surfaces, cleanse and disinfect those parts of the premises contaminated by such materials; if the gathering is held on unpaved ground, that ground must not be used for another bird gathering or keeping birds for two weeks;

Please note that gatherings of anseriformes (including ducks, geese and swans) are still prohibited.

Update 5 February 2024

Gatherings of galliformes  (chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail and other land fowl) to be permitted from 12 noon on Monday 05 February 2024 - gatherings of anseriformes  (duck and geese) still prohibited.

The number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry and other captive birds, and the incidence of HPAI in wild birds, has reduced significantly in recent weeks. This, amongst other factors, has resulted in the current risk assessment of bird flu in poultry to be deemed as low. Furthermore, a risk assessment of the risks associated specifically with poultry gatherings has indicated that the risk for gatherings of birds is low for all species with the exception of anseriformes (ducks and geese), for which the risk is medium.

On this basis, the ban on gatherings of galliformes (chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail and other land fowl), which was introduced in Scotland in December 2022, and which has been a vital tool in protecting flocks across the country, is to be lifted from 12 noon on Monday 05 February 2024. We will continue to monitor risk levels and adjust licence conditions accordingly.

This current change will allow all bird gatherings to take place, with the exception of anseriformes (ducks, geese and swans). The gathering of anseriformes remains prohibited.

Gatherings are also still subject to organisers of gatherings notifying the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and complying with the provisions of the new general licence The new licence will be published on gov.scot at 12 noon on Monday 05 February.

It should be noted that the new General Licence now includes a requirement for keepers of galliformes attending a show to declare to the event organisers, in advance, that they are aware of all biosecurity requirements; that their birds show no sign of infection; that the birds do not originate from a disease control zone; and that their premises is registered on the GB Poultry Register.

Continued Best Practice and Vigilance

Good biosecurity is still the most effective measure of disease control available, and whilst the risk of avian influenza has reduced, low risk does not mean no risk and high standards of biosecurity remain important. Bird keepers are strongly advised to apply high standards of biosecurity measures at all times to prevent and mitigate future disease outbreaks.

Poultry and other captive bird keepers are advised to remain vigilant for any signs of disease in their birds, and to seek prompt advice from their private vet if they have any concerns. They can help prevent avian flu by maintaining good biosecurity on their premises, including:

  • fencing off ponds, streams, boggy areas or standing water, and draining them where possible. Netting or covering ponds.

  • deterring wild birds by regularly walking through the area or by using predator decoys and removing any wild bird feed sources.

  • cleansing and disinfecting clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry or other captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing.

  • cleansing and disinfecting concrete or other permeable areas and putting down wood shavings in wet areas.

  • Using government approved disinfectant foot dips when entering and exiting enclosures or houses.

  • reducing the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and other captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and use effective rodent control.

Wild Birds

  • The public in Great Britain are being advised that if they find at the same place at the same time:

  • a single dead bird of prey, swan, goose, duck or gull, or

  • five or more dead wild birds of any other species

you should report them to: Report dead wild birds – GOV.UK

Alternatively, you can phone the GB phone helpline: 03459 33 55 77.  If you wish to submit a report without providing contact details, then the telephone helpline should be used. You must be 18 or over to use this service to report dead wild birds. It is advisable that you do not touch these birds.

  • Sick or injured wild birds should be reported to the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) in Scotland by telephone (03000 999 999). 

Public Health

The risk to the general public’s health from avian influenza is still “very low”, and is considered “low” for people with intensive exposure to infected birds. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for consumers, and it does not affect the consumption of poultry products, including eggs.

GB Poultry Register

In GB, you are legally required to register your birds if you keep more than 50. Keepers with less than 50 birds are strongly encouraged to register. It is also a legal requirement to notify APHA of any significant changes in the average number of birds kept.

For anyone interested in animal diseases, not just diseases of poultry, they may wish to sign up for free text and/or email alerts on national disease outbreaks via APHA’s subscription service. Avian influenza is a notifiable animal disease. If you suspect any type of avian influenza in poultry or other captive birds, you must report it immediately by contacting your local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Field Services Office. Failure to do so is an offence.

Further advice for bird keepers can be found at www.gov.scot/avianinfluenza.

 

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