Bird flu – latest media updates: all poultry and captive birds to be housed until further notice

The threat of avian influenza (‘bird flu’) to poultry and other captive birds continues and the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) including mandatory housing measures  remain in force across England.

The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) means that all bird keepers (whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) must take extra precautions, such as restricting access for non-essential people on site, ensuring workers change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and cleaning and disinfecting vehicles regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading.

All bird keepers are required to keep their birds housed and implement strict biosecurity measures to protect them from contact either directly or indirectly with wild birds, to help protect their flocks from the threat of avian influenza. Coupled with housing, rigorously implementing stringent biosecurity is the most effective way in reducing the risk of avian influenza spreading. The disease could kill your birds if these actions aren’t taken.

The scale of avian influenza outbreaks across the UK and Europe have been unprecedented with cases being confirmed into the second year of an outbreak for the first time.  The UK has faced its largest ever outbreak of bird flu with over 320 cases confirmed across the country since late October 2021. Find out more about the latest bird flu situation in England and guidance for bird keepers and the public.

The prevention measures introduced through the AIPZ including addition of mandatory housing measures are introduced in a phased and escalating manner proportionate to the escalating risk to an area and may be introduced or withdrawn on a regional or national basis depending on the epidemiological situation.

While the number of cases of HPAI H5N1 in both kept and wild birds has been falling since the end of 2022, the risk levels have remained at the same levels during this period, and we would expect to see several weeks without any new cases to be confident in reducing the risk levels. The Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZ) with mandatory housing will therefore remain in force until the risk of avian influenza reduces significantly.

The wild bird risk across Great Britain remains very high and the risk to poultry with stringent biosecurity remains at medium. The risk to poultry with poor biosecurity is also considered high. All bird keepers must follow enhanced measures at all times to prevent the risk of future outbreaks.

Dr Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, said:
We are continuing to see bird flu cases confirmed on commercial farms and in backyard flocks across the country. This is due to continued high levels of virus circulating in wild birds and risk levels remain the same. We continue to keep the situation under regular review.

We’re taking action already by implementing national Avian Influenza Prevention Zones and mandatory housing measures, but it is important that all bird keepers – wherever they are in the country – ensure that cleanliness and hygiene are at the forefront of their minds to keep their flocks safe and limit the impact of the outbreak.
The UKHSA advise that the available evidence suggests viruses currently circulating in birds in the UK do not spread easily to people and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. There is no impact on the consumption of properly cooked poultry products, including eggs.

Do not touch or pick up any dead or sick birds that you find and instead report them using the new online reporting system or by calling the Defra helpline.

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.

Avian influenza is in no way connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and is not carried in poultry or captive birds.

Egg labelling
Egg labelling changes have been introduced for poultry that have had to be housed due to avian influenza.

From Wednesday 1 February, eggs originating from free range flocks in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex will need to be labelled as barn eggs. This will apply to the rest of England from the 27th February. This in line with Egg Marketing Standards Regulations. The commencement date marks the end of the 16-week grace period given after the introduction of a regional AIPZ with housing (12 October 2022) and subsequent England-wide mandatory housing order (7 November 2022).

Advice to poultry keepers
All bird keepers 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.

It is a legal requirement for bird keepers in the national AIPZ to follow biosecurity measures.

All bird keepers (whether they are pet birds, a commercial farm or just a few birds in a backyard flock) must remain vigilant and help prevent avian influenza by:

housing or netting all poultry and captive birds
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
keep records of mortality, movement of poultry and poultry products and any changes in production
thoroughly clean and disinfect housing on a continuous basis
keep fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all farm and poultry housing entry and exit points
minimise direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds
prevent access by poultry to ponds and watercourses and ensure that birds are kept in fenced or enclosed areas
See our biosecurity advice for more information.

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.

Cases in England
For details of the current avian influenza H5N1 cases in England and the measures that apply in the disease control zones around these cases, go to the avian influenza: cases and disease control zones in England guidance.

Bird keepers can check what zone they are in on our interactive map.

Wild birds
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carries out year-round avian influenza surveillance of dead wild birds submitted via public reports and warden patrols.

You should report online or call the Defra helpline if you find:

1 or more dead bird of prey, gull, swan, goose or duck in the same place
5 or more dead wild birds of any other species in the same place
APHA then collect some of these birds and test them to help us understand how the disease is distributed geographically and in different types of bird. Not all birds will be collected.

Do not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that you find. For further information go to our guidance on reporting dead wild birds.

For further details see the report (updated weekly) of findings of HPAI in wild birds in Great Britain.

Sick or injured wild birds should not be reported to the Defra Helpline. Instead sick birds should be reported in England and Wales to the RSPCA (0300 1234 999) and in Scotland to the SSPCA (03000 999 999) who dependent on the situation may be able to offer assistance.