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Sunset with flying birds

Sunset - Chris Chappell

Avian flu

With bird flu cases on the rise across the country, here's the latest recommended guidelines and information

What's caused this current outbreak of Avian Flu?

This latest outbreak has been caused by the H5N1 virus, and is believed to have its origins in the epidemic that has affected poultry farms and other captive birds over the last year. Large numbers of captive birds kept in close contact and cramped conditions are the ideal breeding ground for new outbreaks. Intensively farmed poultry also often have a particularly high susceptibility to disease which means, once it emerges, it can quickly sweep through a large population and be difficult to contain.This current outbreak has been particularly damaging for our internationally important seabird colonies. 

As yet we have not experienced any cases of Avian Flu on our reserves but it is likely to become an issue for us through the coming autumn and winter due to the arrival of large volumes of migratory.  We are preparing for its arrival and looking at how we can manage the potential risks and threats in a variety of scenarios. We will be working very closely with our partner organisations in the Avalon Marshes particularly, to deliver a coherent and unified approach to best keep staff and the public safe, while reducing, as far as possible, the impacts of the disease on our wild bird populations and species of conservation concern who may have their recoveries affected by this disease. 

We continue to remain vigilant for its occurrence on our sites and will follow Defra guidance and protocols if/when we see it. There is a mitigation strategy published by DEFRA and we will follow this guidance.

Read the DEFRA guidance here

Avian Flu

What we will do

  1. If we do experience cases, or suspected cases, signage will be displayed at key access points warning the general public of the risk and what measures to take to protect themselves.
  2. It may be necessary to restrict activities and access to reserves or parts of reserves, according to the latest scientific advice, to reduce the spread and keep visitors and staff safe.  For example we may have to restrict access to areas where birds frequently congregate, or cancel practical work that might bring staff/volunteers/contractors into close contact with potentially infected material.
Avian Flu

What you can do

What do I do if I find a dead bird?

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

  1. One or more dead bird of prey or owl
  2. Three or more dead gulls or wild waterfowl (swans, geese and ducks) 
  3. Five or more dead birds of any species

Please do not touch any sick or dead birds.

Things to remember

  • Wild birds are susceptible to a range of diseases and injury.  Not all dead birds will have Avian FIu. 

  • In general, DEFRA do not recommend that wild bird carcasses are removed.  There is limited evidence on whether collecting and removing wild bird carcasses is effective in reducing the spread of the disease.   Collection is challenging within wetland and reedbed habitats is aso particularly challenging.

  • There is a significant risk to human health. Those dealing with/removing affected birds must have undergone the appropriate training, and have the necessary PPE equipment and supplies.  

  • Agencies with the necessary training and equipment, such as the RSPCA, are facing unprecedented demands on their services so we are unable to call upon them to assist.  Therefore, carcass collection will not be undertaken as routine, but will more likely be the exception, for example, if it poses a risk to the general public by being in an area of high public usage. 

Blackbird

Bob Coyle

The Wildlife Trust view on what the government needs to do to support landowners

The Government has been slow to respond and it must ensure that the needed research is being done to understand what is driving this so that measures can be taken in future to limit the damage. Entire UK populations of seabirds are currently at risk of being lost.  Although disease outbreaks are a natural occurrence, the frequency, severity and spread of these outbreaks can be worsened by human pressures on our natural world.

As we put our ecosystems under more strain by exposing them to a variety of pressures, they become less able to respond to and recover from the damage caused by new disturbances. So, an outbreak that would normally quickly run through a healthy ecosystem without causing long-lasting damage, may instead wreak havoc and cause lasting disruption to the whole system. It remains to be seen whether our at-risk seabird colonies and other wild birds will be able to recover from this latest outbreak, but the devastating impacts are likely to be felt for years to come.

The Wildlife Trusts are trying everything to limit the spread of this latest outbreak, but it is vital that we also tackle the whole range of systemic problems threatening our ecosystems, to ensure that they remain resilient and robust to future shocks like this. 

What are we calling for the Government to do?

  1. To develop a national strategy to help wild bird populations recover.
  2. Provide clear guidance on wild bird carcass removal and disposal in high-risk areas.
  3. Effective monitoring, surveillance, research and reporting systems in place to build real-time understanding of the virus and its progress in wild birds.
  4. Resilience built in vulnerable populations through recovery and conservation measures. This includes avoiding damaging development at sea and reduction of seabirds killed in bycatch. 
  5. Government to undertake a risk assessment on whether it is sensible to release large numbers of non-native gamebirds (pheasants) into the British countryside when avian flu is present across the country. 
  6. More investment into how and why this is happening, to stand the best chance of avoiding similar tragedies in the future.
  7. More resources for wildlife and nature charities to help with monitoring and tackling the problem.