BIRDS are being culled on the Herefordshire border after avian influenza was confirmed.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), said the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed on 14 October in a mixed flock of other captive birds at a premises near Leigh Sinton, Malvern Hills, Worcestershire.

A 3km Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone has been put in place around the premises. All birds will be humanely culled.

The monitoring zone means poultry keepers at any premises within the zone must make a record of all poultry entering and leaving their premises, and transporters and marketers must keep a record of all poultry eggs and poultry they have handled.

Poultry keepers must also keep records of any person entering a part of the property where poultry are kept, game birds may not be released, and birds should not be gathered together for any fair, market, exhibition, or other gathering within the zone, among other restrictions.

Herefordshire Council advises bird keepers to follow the latest government requirements in light of continuing outbreaks of avian flu.

Across the country, an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) was brought into force at midday, Monday 17 October 2022. This means it is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers, small and large, to follow the new strict biosecurity measures to help prevent the disease spreading to more poultry and other domestic birds.

Avian influenza circulates naturally in wild birds. When they migrate to the UK from mainland Europe they can spread the disease to poultry and other captive birds.

Keepers with more than 500 birds need to comply with the minimum and enhanced biosecurity measures. They can be viewed here: Avian influenza: Prevention Zone declared across Great Britain