Avian influenza (Bird flu): Questions & answers
This page was last updated on 9 June 2008.
Finding a dead bird
- Do I need to report single dead birds?
- What should I do if I find a number of dead birds?
- Am I at risk from touching dead birds?
- What am I at risk from?
- What should I do if I or my children have touched a dead bird?
- Where could I dispose of dead birds and how?
- What should I do if I find dead wild birds near or among my poultry?
- Is it necessary to report deaths in birds kept in outside aviaries or gamebirds?
- Shouldn’t members of the public just take the birds along to the nearest lab?
- If I leave my number, will someone give me a ring with the results?
- If I ring up, can I be guaranteed that the birds I report will be collected?
- Do I have to worry about my pets eating or bringing dead birds in?
- My dog found some dead birds. Does this mean it will get ‘flu?
- Is there anything I should do if I find many dead birds and can’t get hold of anyone on a weekend or Bank Holiday?
- Should I report dead birds that look like they’ve been hit by a car or savaged by a wild animal?
- If you find Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in wild birds, will you go in and kill them all?
- If not, then what are you going to do?
Do I need to report single dead birds?
If you find dead wild gulls, waders, ducks, geese or swans and you are within a survey area or unsure whether you are in a surveillance area please contact the Defra Helpline 08459 33 55 77, 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday. You will be asked for details of your finding and its location. Please see the wild bird surveillance pages for more information. If you find any other single dead birds, including garden birds then you do not need to call the Defra helpline.
What should I do if I find a number of dead birds?
If you find die offs involving 10 or more dead birds of the same species or from different species in the same place you should contact the Defra Helpline 08459 33 55 77, 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday.
Am I at risk from touching dead birds?
Wild birds can carry several diseases that are infectious to people. Dead birds should not be handled unnecessarily for hygiene reasons. The Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens consider that the risk of transmission of HPAI from wild birds is small. However, if it is necessary to handle a dead bird, to minimise any risk it is advisable to carry out general hygiene precautions when handling wild birds, such as wearing disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling carcases and washing hands, nails and forearms thoroughly with soap and water after handling the carcase. Avoid touching your face and certainly do not eat until you have washed your hands. Clean any soiling on clothing with soap and water.
What am I at risk from?
Although the risk of AI may be low, birds can carry other respiratory infections. Birds can also carry infections which can cause gastrointestinal infections such as Salmonella and Campylobacter.
What should I do if I or my children have touched a dead bird?
See question above.
Where could I dispose of dead birds and how?
Please contact the owner of the land on which the dead birds are located.
Also see Guidance on handling and disposing of dead and wild birds.
What should I do if I find dead wild birds near or among my poultry?
Please report these without delay so that we can discuss with you and provide advice on the next steps.
Is it necessary to report deaths in birds kept in outside aviaries or gamebirds?
You should report cases where a number of birds have died within a short time and there could have been contact with migratory waterbirds. You are strongly advised to do this through your private veterinary surgeon.
Shouldn’t members of the public just take the birds along to the nearest lab?
People should telephone us first (as set out above) giving as much relevant information as possible to help us to decide if further action is necessary.
If I leave my number, will someone give me a ring with the results?
We’re sorry, but this won’t be possible in many cases for phoned reports of wild bird deaths.
If I ring up, can I be guaranteed that the birds I report will be collected?
Not necessarily. An experienced vet or scientist will assess details of the event. A decision will then be taken whether to investigate further, and arrangements will be made to collect the bird carcases. If not, it will be for the owner/manager of the land where the die off is reported to ensure disposal of the carcases.
Do I have to worry about my pets eating or bringing dead birds in?
It is always sensible to prevent pets eating wild bird or other animal carcases given that there is the possibility that the death could have been caused by poisoning or from a severe bacterial infection or the carcase could have been deliberately poisoned for use as a bait.
My dog found some dead birds. Does this mean it will get ‘flu?
In the unlikely event that the reported dead birds had died from AI, the risk to your dog would be extremely low.
Is there anything I should do if I find many dead birds and can’t get hold of anyone on a weekend or Bank Holiday?
You should be able to reach someone on the number given. In the unlikely event of not being able to get through, please capture as much detail as you can about the incident, including precise detail of location, and then telephone through on the next working day.
Should I report dead birds that look as if they’ve been hit by a car or savaged by a wild animal?
Not if it’s clear that that’s the cause of death, or if the carcase is starting to putrefy.
If you find Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in wild birds, will you go in and kill them all?
While there are powers under the Animal Health Act 1981 which allow us to kill wild birds, there is no intention to use these powers at present. The control of avian influenza infection in wild bird populations is not feasible - from a logistical, environmental and biodiversity point of view. Indiscriminate culling of wild migratory bird populations would be ineffective in preventing further spread of avian influenza and their hunting would likely cause dispersion of the birds.
If not, then what are you going to do?
The aim of the surveillance programme is to give us more information about the possible presence of viruses of significance which may be circulating in the wild bird population. If we find it in one group, we’ll increase our sampling in the wild bird population in that area to give us a better fix on levels of infection. And, in parallel, we’ll be making a rapid assessment of the risk to captive birds and poultry in the area so that we can further enhance surveillance of wild birds and captive birds in the area and advise local poultry keepers about preventative measures they should take.
Page last modified:
11 June, 2008