Avian flu: Bird keepers in Wales and England must register

Anyone who keeps outdoor birds in Wales and England will now have to register them as part of efforts to prevent fresh outbreaks of bird flu.

Birds kept indoors are not affected, but anyone with chickens, fowl or pigeons living outdoors will need to register their coops for free.

Farmers said it was “vital” to protect the poultry population, but one pigeon fancier said he feared the hassle would drive some to quit the hobby.

There have been few recent avian influenza cases in the UK involving captive birds in recent years and in 2021 there was a high of 360 cases, leading to millions of birds being culled.

Owners who fail to register risk being fined or even imprisoned, though officials at the UK government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) stressed any punishment under the new regulations would be “proportionate”.

Previously only people keeping 50 or more birds in their flock had to register.

Guto Lloyd-Davies keeps one hen at his home in Denbigh area and said it was a hassle to have to register for a solitary bird, but added that it made sense to know where birds are to help halt the quick spread of disease.

Deputy First Minister and Secretary for Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies said it would mean communication with bird keepers in the case of an outbreak.

Farmer and presenter Alun Elidyr called for the registration system to be made easy and accessible to everyone, including those in rural areas with poor internet service.

Pigeon fanciers also come under the new registration system and Tim Gunter, 38, from the Rhondda Valley Pigeon Federation warned that older people may struggle with online services, leading to “a lot of fanciers finishing”.

“There’s no reason for [the government] to know,” he added.

“It’s a hobby so why should we register,” he asked, adding that pigeons are not known to carry avian flu.

Richard Irvine, chief veterinary officer for Wales said: “The APHA will be able to contact bird keepers if there are outbreaks of a notifiable disease in their area, such as bird flu, to inform them of the steps they need to take to protect the health of their birds”.

“Hygiene and smart biosecurity remain essential to protect flocks from the threat of diseases.”