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Guidance: Avian influenza (bird flu)

Animal Plant Health Agency

October 29
18:30 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.

Reporting suspected bird flu in poultry or captive birds

If you suspect any type of bird flu 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.

Reporting dead wild birds

You should call the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77) if you find:

  • one or more dead bird of prey or owl
  • 3 or more dead gulls or wild waterfowl (swans, geese and ducks)
  • 5 or more dead birds of any species

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

There have been 80 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in England since 1 October 2022. There have been 214 cases of HPAI H5N1 in England since the H5N1 outbreak started on 27 October 2021.

Update 29 October

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial poultry at the following:

  • premises near Saxmundham, East Suffolk, Suffolk
  • third premises near Much Hoole, South Ribble, Lancashire
  • fourth premises near North Somercotes, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
  • fourth premises near Much Hoole, South Ribble, Lancashire

A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone are in place around each of the premises. All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled.

Update 28 October

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial poultry at the following premises:

  • fourteenth near Attleborough, Breckland, Norfolk
  • second premises near Much Hoole, South Ribble, Lancashire

A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone are in place around each of the premises. All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial poultry at a premises near Easingwold, Hambleton, North Yorkshire on 22 September 2022. Following successful completion of disease control activities and surveillance in the zones, the 3km Protection zone has ended and the area that that Protection Zone becomes part of the Surveillance Zone.

Find details of cases and the measures that apply in disease control zones.

Find out about licences for movements from disease control zones.

All poultry gatherings, including at fairs, shows and markets, remain banned, due to a large number of flocks mixing together and the risk posed by any infections spreading across the country.

Stop the spread webinars

While the risk of avian influenza has reduced, cases of bird flu continue to be confirmed in both poultry and other captive birds. All bird keepers should 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 Zones

Following a change in the risk levels and an increase in the number of detections of avian influenza (bird flu) in kept and wild birds, the Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have declared a UK wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and captive birds.

This means that from midday on Monday 17 October, it will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers in the UK to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the threat of avian flu. Separate AIPZ declarations are available for each UK administration.

To help bird keepers comply with the rules, weve updated the biosecurity advice.

Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) declaration for the whole of England (excluding Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex).

For further details in:

Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex

Following a further increase in cases in the area, mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex were introduced on 12 October 2022.

This means that it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers in these areas to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the disease, regardless of type or size.

Details of the conditions and a map of the zone can be found in the declaration.

Regional?Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) including housing measures declaration for Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex.

England AIPZ reviews

The need for further regional of England wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZs) will be kept under regular review as part of the governments work to monitor and manage the risks of avian influenza.

Any decisions on when to reintroduce a national zone with housing measures or regional?AIPZ?will be based on risk assessments based on the latest scientific and ornithological evidence and veterinary advice.

Enforcement

Avian influenza controls, are enforced by the Local Authority Animal Health Function (LAAHF), which is normally situated with the Trading Standards or Environmental Health Service of a local authority.

You should contact yo

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