March, 2006

Spring migrants are arriving in the UK, and the breeding season is getting underway. The RSPB, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust are issuing clear advice to inform the public, and to counter some of the concerns that have understandably developed as a result of the coverage of the spread of bird flu (H5N1) in recent weeks. Knowing the facts will help to reassure those who enjoy feeding birds.

This page will keep you up-to-date with the movement of bird flu and how it affects the UK.

As of today (16 March 2006) the unusually virulent strain of avian influenza known as H5N1 has spread to Europe from south-east Asia. There have been numerous outbreaks, mainly in poultry, in a number of countries in Asia and Africa. Since mid-February, there have been a number of cases in wild birds in the EU, predominantly mute swans.

The RSPB is working with BirdLife International, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, the British Trust for Ornithology, Defra and others to evaluate the risk on an ongoing basis.

No cases of H5N1 avian influenza have been identified in Britain so far, though there is a slim chance that it is present but remains undetected.