Download Avian influenza (bird flu): Wild birds Precautions Wild birds can carry

Avian influenza (bird flu): Wild birds
Precautions
Wild birds can carry several diseases that are infectious to people. If dead
birds are handled, it is important to wash your hands with soap and water as
soon as possible. Avoid touching your face and certainly do not eat until you
have washed your hands. Clean any soiling on clothing with soap and water.
Guidance on handling and disposing of dead garden and wild birds
The advice given here applies in all circumstances where members of the
public may come across a dead bird, regardless of whether there is any avian
influenza in the UK.
If you find a dead swan, goose or duck or three or more dead wild, or garden
birds together in the same place, please report this to Defra, via the Defra
Helpline on 08459 33 55 77. The current Defra helpline opening hours are
Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 8.00 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9.00 am
to 6.00 pm. They may wish to have the birds examined for signs of specific
diseases. They will advise you on what action you should take.
If the dead bird is a single, small garden, or wild bird then you do not need to
call Defra. You should:
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leave it alone, or
follow the guidelines below for disposal
Wild birds can carry several diseases that are infectious to people and some
simple hygiene precautions should minimise the risk of infection. It is hard for
people to catch avian influenza from birds and the following simple steps are
also effective against avian influenza.
If you have to move a dead bird
1. Avoid touching the bird with your bare hands
2. If possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and
handling (if disposable gloves are not available see 7)
3. Place the dead bird in a suitable plastic bag, preferably leak proof.
Care should be taken not to contaminate the outside of the bag
4. Tie the bag and place it in a second plastic bag
5. Remove gloves by turning them inside out and then place them in the
second plastic bag. Tie the bag and dispose of in the normal household
refuse bin.
6. Hands should then be washed thoroughly with soap and water
7. If disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a
make-shift glove. When the dead bird has been picked up, the bag can
be turned back on itself and tied. It should then be placed in a second
plastic bag, tied and disposed of in the normal household waste
8. Alternatively, the dead bird can be buried, but not in a plastic bag
9. Any clothing that has been in contact with the dead bird should be
washed using ordinary washing detergent at the temperature normally
used for washing the clothing.
10. Any contaminated indoor surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned with
normal household cleaner.
Wild birds, nests and advice on licensing
Almost all cases of avian influenza in humans to date have been due to
contact with sick or infected domestic poultry. We advise the public that they
should not take any action against nesting wild birds as there is minimal public
health risk from catching AI from wild birds.
It is important to conserve wild bird species from an animal welfare and
conservation standpoint. All wild birds are afforded statutory protection under
the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which fulfils obligations under the EC
Wild Birds Directive. It is an offence under section 1 of the Act to kill, injure or
take any wild bird; take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while that
nest is in use or being built, and take or destroy an egg of any wild bird.
Defra issues 2 types of licences to allow the control of wild birds for specific
purposes such as preserving public health and safety or preventing the
spread of disease. Individual licences are issued by the National Wildlife
Management Team of the Rural Development Service and are carefully
considered on a case by case basis. General licences are issued to cover
situations where any authorised person would find applying for an individual
licence an overly burdensome and bureaucratic task to permit an action that
would be routinely approved. Licences can only be issued provided that, as
regards the purpose of the licence, there is no other satisfactory solution.
Given the minimal public health risk involved at this time, the use of
individual or general licences is not considered appropriate in relation
to AI. This means that the current General licences WLF18 A (59 KB) (for
the purpose of preventing the spread of disease), WLF100087 A (51 KB)
(for the purpose of conserving wild birds) and WLF100088 A (56 KB) (for
the purpose of preserving public health and safety) cannot be used in
relation to AI.
Surveillance for Avian Influenza in wild birds
As a consequence of Avian Influenza (AI) outbreaks in the Far East and
eastern European continent, EU Member States have agreed to increase
levels of surveillance for possible presence of AI in certain species of
migratory waterbirds. A programme for monitoring of wild bird mortalities,
including for evidence of West Nile Virus, has been in operation for some
years. We are building on that arrangement.
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Questions and Answers: Finding a dead bird.
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UK surveys of wild bird populations to screen for the presence of Avian
Influenza.
Defra Wild Bird Mortality (unusual mortality events) Survey - Guidelines
for reporting unusual mortality events to Defra A (24 KB)