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Publication - Advice and guidance

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

Last updated
12 May 2025 - 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.

Part of

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Biosecurity

Biosecurity means simple procedures or steps you can take to prevent disease.

The risk of bird flu in the UK from wild birds never disappears completely so it is essential that bird keepers maintain effective biosecurity all year round.

An outbreak of bird flu in a small hobby or backyard flock can have an impact on the commercial poultry sector through both the introduction of movement restrictions and temporary loss of exports with other countries.

Biosecurity guidance for all bird keepers

Read the biosecurity guidance below, which includes details of measures that should be taken.

There are simple actions that can be taken to help reduce the chance of your birds becoming infected. A variety of further guidance is available:

Guidance for game bird keepers

Read the biosecurity guidance below, which includes details of measures that should be taken.

You must check your birds regularly for signs of disease. Contact your vet immediately if you have any concerns.

If you suspect bird flu in captive birds, you must report it immediately. If you do not report it, you’re breaking the law.

Check if you’re in a zone on the bird flu disease control zone map. If you are in a control zone and registered on the Scottish Kept Bird Register, you should be contacted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency with information about the disease control requirements in place. Any keeper who believes they are in a zone and has not received that information should contact their APHA local Field Office.

If you’re in a disease control zone you must follow the rules for that zone.

Releasing game birds

Once game birds have been released, they’re classed as wild birds for avian influenza rules. The person who released the game birds is no longer ‘the keeper’ of the birds.

You must not release game birds into the wild if you’re in:

  • a disease control zone (e.g. a protection zone, surveillance zone, or restricted zone)
  • an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) with housing measures (when applied)

You can release game birds into the wild in an AIPZ in areas:

  • without housing measures
  • where no disease control zones are in force

Feeding released game birds

In a disease control zone or AIPZ:

  • you can continue to feed and water released game birds except within 500m of a premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept
  • you should minimise the chance of other wild birds accessing your released birds’ food and water

Catching up game birds

You cannot catch up game birds from the wild outside the shooting season for the species.

If you bring caught up game birds together from more than one location you must follow the rules for bird gatherings.

Once caught up, previously wild game birds are classed as poultry. They are subject to all the same bird flu rules as other poultry.

In an AIPZ (if applied), you must not move wild game birds caught up in the open season for at least 21 days from the date of catching up. You must keep a record of both the:

  • date of catching up
  • number of birds caught up each day

The 21 day rule applies from the date the last bird was caught up or the date the last bird arrives at the premises where they’ll be kept.

Outside an AIPZ, you should still apply the 21 day rule to protect your birds and reduce the risk of bird flu spreading.

We have joined with organisations involved in gamebird management to issue revised guidance on bird flu and the way it can affect the activities of gamebird rearers.

Contact

Email: Animal.Health@gov.scot (However, only report 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
12 May 2025 - show all updates

  1. Update to risk level in wild bird surveillance page.

  2. Minor update made to bird gathering general licence text on licensing page.

  3. Added poster PDF for "clinical signs of avian influenza".

  4. Link to general licence added to licensing page.

  5. Updated poster PDF for "top tips for avian biosecurity".

  6. Updated poster PDF for "a small flock keeper's guide to biosecurity".

  7. Updated the how to control avian influenza page with vaccination information.

  8. Added poster PDF for "the legal requirement to register your birds".

  9. Updated to reflect restrictions to bird gatherings.

  10. Updated the biosecurity page with information about game birds.

  11. Added poster PDF for "bird flu has been detected in this area".

  12. Minor updates to wild bird surveillance page.

  13. Minor updates to bird registration page.

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

  15. Minor text update in licensing section.

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

  17. Updated with details of new bird registration requirements.

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

  19. Updates to risk level on Wild bird surveillance.

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

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

  22. Changed wild bird risk from high to medium.

  23. Updated information on general licence on bird gatherings.

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

  25. 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

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

  27. Chapter on avian influenza and pets updated.

  28. Updates to dead or sick wild bird section.

  29. Update to risk level on Wild bird surveillance.

  30. Added new section on pets and pet birds.

  31. Updates to risk level on Wild bird surveillance.

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

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

  34. Updated Wild birds surveillance.

  35. Updated general licences information in the licensing chapter.

  36. Updated Biosecurity.

  37. Removed links on Biosecurity.

  38. Updated dead or sick wild birds page.

  39. Updated Wild bird surveillance.

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

  41. Updated Wild bird surveillance.

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

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

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

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

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

  47. What do do page updated.

  48. Updated Clinical signs.

  49. Updates to Licensing.

  50. Updates to Licensing.

  51. Updated contact details.

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

  53. Update text.

  54. Update hyperlinks

  55. Update text.

  56. Updates to Licensing page.

  57. Updates to Licensing page.

  58. Update to general licence information.

  59. Updated Risk level text on Wild bird surveillance.

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

  61. Updated dead or sick wild bird chapter.

  62. Updated to link to recent reports of cases.

  63. Updated to reflect wild bird surveillance findings.

  64. Updated self-assessment checklist on Biosecurity page.

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

  66. Updates to latest situation.

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

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

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

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

  71. Minor formatting amendments to licensing page.

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

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

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

  75. Updated licensing page.

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

  77. Latest situation updated.

  78. Licence section updated to reflect latest situation.

  79. Changes to Latest situation.

  80. Added link to latest situation publication.

  81. Updated Latest situation.

  82. Updated Latest situation.

  83. Updated Latest situation.

  84. Minor textual changes to Latest situation.

  85. Latest situation updated.

  86. Latest situation updated.

  87. Dead or sick wild birds information updated.

  88. Update to bird gatherings permitted section.

  89. Minor updates to make content clearer.

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

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

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

  93. 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.

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

  95. Latest situation information updated.

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

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

  98. Latest situation information updated.

  99. Wild bird surveillance information updated.

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

  101. Latest situation information updated.

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

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

  104. Latest situation information updated.

  105. Latest situation information updated.

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

  107. Updated latest information section.

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

  109. Latest situation information updated.

  110. Latest situation information updated.

  111. Latest situation information updated.

  112. Latest situation information updated.

  113. Latest situation information updated.

  114. Latest situation information updated.

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

  116. 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.

  117. Latest situation information updated.

  118. 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.

  119. 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.

  120. 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.

  121. Pathogen information updated to reflect latest results.

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

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

  124. Original publication date.

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