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Publication - Advice and guidance

Avian influenza (bird flu): how to spot and report the disease

Last updated
18 November 2024 - see all updates
Directorate
Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate
Topic
Farming and rural

Advice on what to do if you suspect there is an outbreak of avian influenza.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Higher risk areas (HRAs)

Experience from previous highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks, coupled with scientific and veterinary opinion indicates that migratory wild waterfowl (e.g. ducks, geese and swans) and gulls represent the most likely pathway for the introduction of HPAI virus (also known as bird flu).

Wild waterfowl and gulls (particularly migratory species) pose a continual threat for the direct and indirect introduction of these viruses into premises where poultry, game birds, pet or other captive birds are kept.

Areas of GB that are at increased risk of the introduction of the HPAI virus into poultry and kept birds from wild waterfowl have been identified, and these are referred to as ‘Higher Risk Areas’ (HRAs).

It is important to note that although these areas are at increased risk, poultry, including game birds and poultry kept as pets in all areas of GB remain at risk of avian influenza from wild birds.

Additional measures required in a HRA

The HRAs will primarily be used to target governments’ wild bird and statutory surveillance programmes and to highlight the areas of GB at greatest risk of bird flu being present in wild birds. 

During periods of heightened risk government might consider additional biosecurity through the declaration of an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ).  Such a Zone would be based on risk.

Mandatory housing measures of free range birds will not necessarily be introduced solely in HRAs. Any decision to house birds anywhere in GB would be informed by risk considerations.

If you are planning a new poultry unit you should take into account the risk of HPAI where the unit is planned.

Action for poultry and captive bird keepers

If you keep poultry, including game birds, pets or other captive birds anywhere in GB, you should take steps now to review your biosecurity. This is particularly important if you are in or close to a higher risk area.

We encourage all keepers to follow our biosecurity advice in captive birds, as it represents good practice - whether you have commercial flocks, smaller flocks, game birds, or pet birds.

There is a legal requirement for all bird keepers (with some exceptions) in Scotland to register their premises on the Scottish Kept Bird Register.

Higher risk area map

Find out if your premises is in or near a HRA on this Higher Risk Area interactive map.

We only consider that you’re in an HRA if the whole or part of your premises falls within the HRA. All keepers of poultry or captive birds in GB should continue to follow good practice on biosecurity.

Contact

Email: Animal.Health@gov.scot (however, only report any dead wild bird findings via 03459 33 55 77)

Animal Health and Welfare 
Scottish Government
Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate
Saughton House
Edinburgh

Related information

First published
19 March 2021
Last updated
18 November 2024 - show all updates

  1. Text updates in licencing and register your birds sections.

  2. Minor text update in licensing section.

  3. Register your bird page amendment made to website address under the registration in England and Wales section.

  4. Updated with details of new bird registration requirements.

  5. Updated with details of the process for the Scottish Kept Bird Register which will go live on 1 September 2024.

  6. Updates to risk level on Wild bird surveillance.

  7. Added The Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2024 to legislation page.

  8. Updated the 'register your birds' page. Added information about the new Scottish Kept Bird Register.

  9. Changed wild bird risk from high to medium.

  10. Updated information on general licence on bird gatherings.

  11. Updated legislation page to amend broken link for preventative measures.

  12. addition of details on The Animal and Plant Health Agency’s GB Avian Influenza Wildlife Interactive Map and Data Dashboard to the Dead or sick wild birds page

  13. Added revised small flock holders checklist to downloads page.

  14. Chapter on avian influenza and pets updated.

  15. Updates to dead or sick wild bird section.

  16. Update to risk level on Wild bird surveillance.

  17. Added new section on pets and pet birds.

  18. Updates to risk level on Wild bird surveillance.

  19. Clinical signs page updated to include reference Low pathogenic avian influenza (LAPI) H7N3 being confirmed in Scotland.

  20. Minor text change to 'Dead or sick wild birds: what to do'.

  21. Updated Wild birds surveillance.

  22. Updated general licences information in the licensing chapter.

  23. Updated Biosecurity.

  24. Removed links on Biosecurity.

  25. Updated dead or sick wild birds page.

  26. Updated Wild bird surveillance.

  27. Minor text updates to How to control avian influenza.

  28. Updated Wild bird surveillance.

  29. Updated Dead or sick wild birds: what to do.

  30. Minor text updates to Higher risk areas (HRAs).

  31. What do do page and wild bird surveillance pages updated.

  32. What do do page and wild bird surveillance pages updated.

  33. Reviewed and updated to link to latest avian influenza declaration because housing measures have been lifted.

  34. What do do page updated.

  35. Updated Clinical signs.

  36. Updates to Licensing.

  37. Updates to Licensing.

  38. Updated contact details.

  39. Legislation page amended to add link to the Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Birds etc.) (Miscellaneous Amendment and Revocation) (Scotland) Order 2021.

  40. Update text.

  41. Update hyperlinks

  42. Update text.

  43. Updates to Licensing page.

  44. Updates to Licensing page.

  45. Update to general licence information.

  46. Updated Risk level text on Wild bird surveillance.

  47. Minor update to wild bird surveillance and dead or sick wild birds: what to do.

  48. Updated dead or sick wild bird chapter.

  49. Updated to link to recent reports of cases.

  50. Updated to reflect wild bird surveillance findings.

  51. Updated self-assessment checklist on Biosecurity page.

  52. Added link to movement of poultry by-products and hatching eggs licence to licensing page.

  53. Updates to latest situation.

  54. Added link to movement of table eggs general licence to licensing page.

  55. 'Game birds' section added to Latest situation.

  56. Licensing section updated with link to movement of poultry carcases general licence

  57. Wild bird surveillance section on latest outbreaks page updated.

  58. Minor formatting amendments to licensing page.

  59. Licensing page updated to add link to movement of samples for salmonella testing: general licence.

  60. Amended Dead or sick wild birds: what to do.

  61. Licensing page updated to add link to movement of mammals general licence.

  62. Updated licensing page.

  63. Link to application requesting exemption to restrictions on licensing page amended.

  64. Latest situation updated.

  65. Licence section updated to reflect latest situation.

  66. Changes to Latest situation.

  67. Added link to latest situation publication.

  68. Updated Latest situation.

  69. Updated Latest situation.

  70. Updated Latest situation.

  71. Minor textual changes to Latest situation.

  72. Latest situation updated.

  73. Latest situation updated.

  74. Dead or sick wild birds information updated.

  75. Update to bird gatherings permitted section.

  76. Minor updates to make content clearer.

  77. Latest situation updated with information about general licence for bird gatherings.

  78. Latest situation updated with information about housing measures lifted on 31 March (23:59 hrs).

  79. Link to risk assessment guide and AIPZ declaration added.

  80. Latest situation information updated with information about the Housing order to be lifted 23:59 31 March, but Avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) still in place.

  81. Declaration of end of protection zone and revocation of restricted zone for Glenrothes area.

  82. Latest situation information updated.

  83. Updated to include information about highly pathogenic strain, PZ and SZ specifications and general licence on mammal movement.

  84. Latest situation information updated re declaration of two Temporary Control Zones in Glenrothes.

  85. Latest situation information updated.

  86. Wild bird surveillance information updated.

  87. Updated the licencing page to say the licence has been revoked.

  88. Latest situation information updated.

  89. Update adding link to end of surveillance zone protection declaration, and additional locations for presence of H5 vaccine

  90. Duck, geese and gamebirds poster added as well as link to Avian Influenza Prevention Zone poster.

  91. Latest situation information updated.

  92. Latest situation information updated.

  93. Added new section on licencing for Protection and Surveillance Zones.

  94. Updated latest information section.

  95. Information about disposing of dead wild birds found on private property added.

  96. Latest situation information updated.

  97. Latest situation information updated.

  98. Latest situation information updated.

  99. Latest situation information updated.

  100. Latest situation information updated.

  101. Latest situation information updated.

  102. information added to the dead or sick wild birds: what to do section

  103. Latest situation information updated to include Avian influenza H5N8 (pathogenicity to be confirmed) has been confirmed in poultry and captive birds at a premises near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

  104. Latest situation information updated.

  105. Latest situated information updated to reflect highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) of the H5N8 strain has been confirmed in broiler breeder chickens at a premises near Leominster in Herefordshire.

  106. Latest situated information updated to reflect the declaration of an Avian influenza Prevention Zone has been declared across the whole of Scotland as of 17:00 on 11 November 2020.

  107. Latest situation updated to reflect two unrelated confirmed cases of avian influenza in England and increasing reports of avian influenza affecting flocks in mainland Europe.

  108. Pathogen information updated to reflect latest results.

  109. Latest information updated to include links to 2 new outbreaks of Avian Influenza in Cheshire and Kent.

  110. Latest situation updated to reflect the fact that here are currently no restrictions.

  111. Original publication date.

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