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Guidance: Avian influenza (bird flu)

Animal Plant Health Agency

July 7
18:05 2022

Avian influenza (bird flu) mainly affects birds. It can also affect humans and other mammals.

Avian influenza (bird flu) is a notifiable animal disease. If you suspect any type of avian influenza in poultry or captive birds you must report it immediately by calling the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301. In Wales, contact 0300 303 8268. In Scotland, contact your local Field Services Office. Failure to do so is an offence.

If you find a single bird of prey or owl, 3 or more dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese and ducks), gulls, or 5 or more dead birds of any species you should report them to the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77). Do not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that you find. For further information see our advice to the public.

All bird keepers (whether you have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) must keep a close watch on them for signs of disease and maintain good biosecurity at all times. If you have any concerns about the health of your birds, seek prompt advice from your vet.

You should register your poultry, even if only kept as pets, so we can contact you during an outbreak. This is a legal requirement if you have 50 or more birds. Poultry includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeon (bred for meat), partridge, quail, guinea fowl and pheasants.

You can sign up to our alerts service to keep up to date with the latest news. You can also get Defra email alerts or subscribe to Defras RSS feed by copying and pasting this RSS feed URL into your feed reader.

Latest situation

Update 7 July 2022

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed on 7 May 2022 in commercial poultry at a premises near Lowdham, Newark and Sherwood, Nottinghamshire. Following completion of disease control measures and surveillance in the zone, the 3 km Protection Zone has ended and the area becomes part of the Surveillance Zone.

Update 6 July 2022

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed on 22 April 2022 in poultry at a premises near Ilkeston, Erewash, Derbyshire. Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance within the disease control zones surrounding this premises, the 3km Protection Zone has ended and the 10km Surveillance Zone has been revoked.

For details of the cases and the measures that apply in the disease control zones in England, see the avian influenza: cases and disease control zones in England guidance. You can also find out about licences for movements from disease control zones in force.

The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) remains in force across Great Britain until further notice, with only the housing measures component being lifted. This means, while birds are allowed to range outside, if you keep birds (whether you have pet birds, a commercial farm or a backyard flock) you must continue to take effective and precautionary biosecurity measures until further notice. See our Declaration of Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (England) (PDF, 154 KB, 7 pages) and our biosecurity guidance for further details of the measures you all bird keepers must continue to take to protect their birds from avian influenza.

While the risk levels have reduced infection may still be present in the environment. See our guidance on the proactive steps you should take before letting your birds can be let outside again. Following these steps will help to reduce the risk to your birds.

This will not apply to areas in a Protection zone or a Captive Bird Monitoring (Controlled) Zone, where you must continue to house your poultry and other captive birds.

Stop the spread webinars

Cases of bird flu continue to be confirmed in both poultry and other captive birds and the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) will remain in force until further notice (with only the housing measures component being lifted from 0:01 on the 2 May 2022). All bird keepers must continue to implement strict biosecurity measures to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease from poultry and other captive birds.

Whether you have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock, you can find out what you can do to keep your birds free of avian influenza by watching one our avian influenza stop the spread webinars.

Avian Influenza Prevention Zone

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) is in force across Great Britain.

This means, that if you keep birds anywhere in Great Britain (whether they are pet birds, a commercial farm or just a few birds in a backyard flock) you must follow strict biosecurity measures to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.

You are no longer required to house your birds. However, you must continue to house your poultry and other captive birds if they are in a Protection Zone or Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone. For details of the cases and the measures that apply in the disease control zones in England, see the avian influenza: cases and disease control zones in England guidance.

Failure to comply with the AIPZ is an offence and risks the health and welfare of your birds.

Separate AIPZ declarations are made in each UK administration. For further details in:

AIPZ in England

The AIPZ in England means that if you keep birds, you must:

  • cleanse and disinfect clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds if practical, use disposable protective clothing
  • reduce the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and use effective vermin control
  • thoroughly cleanse and disinfect housing on a continuous basis
  • keep fresh disinfectant

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