Northern Ireland's Chief Vet Brian Dooher has reminded all bird keepers of the critical importance of maintaining high biosecurity standards due to the increasing threat of avian influenza.

His warning comes as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been confirmed in a dead wild bird in County Galway. This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in a wild bird on the island of Ireland since September 2023.

Mr Brian Dooher said: "The recent detection of HPAI H5N1 in a wild buzzard in Galway demonstrates that the virus is present in wild birds on the island of Ireland. This finding highlights the importance of maintaining high standards of biosecurity to protect the poultry industry in Northern Ireland from the threat of avian influenza.

"I would reiterate my earlier warning that owners of poultry, game or pet birds should act now to ensure their biosecurity measures are sufficient to reduce the risk of disease to your flocks.  A biosecurity checklist is available on the DAERA website.  All birdkeepers should familiarise themselves with this checklist and continually review the measures they take to protect themselves from an avian influenza incursion.

"Avian influenza has the potential to have a devastating effect on the poultry industry and would significantly impact international trade.  I am calling on all flock keepers, including backyard or hobby flocks, to remain vigilant and to act today to reduce the risk to their flocks."

The risk of a notifiable avian influenza incursion into a poultry flock in Northern Ireland reduces to very low where biosecurity standards are high. 

Detailed information on how to improve biosecurity can be found on the DAERA Avian Influenza Hub.

Continual high standards of biosecurity on all poultry premises is the most effective tool in protecting Northern Ireland against this disease.

Some simple measures flock keepers can take to protect their birds against the threat of avian flu are as follows:

• Keeping the area where birds live clean and tidy, controlling rats and mice and regularly disinfecting any hard surfaces
• Cleaning footwear before and after visits
• Placing bird feed and water in fully enclosed areas that are protected from wild birds, and removing any spilled feed regularly
• Putting fencing around outdoor areas where birds are allowed and limiting their access to ponds or areas visited by wild waterfowl
• Where possible, avoid keeping ducks and geese with other poultry species.

If you find dead waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, these should be reported using the DAERA Dead Wild Bird Online Reporting Tool.