Should you feed the birds in spring?

How dangerous is it to feed wild birds?

“It depends on whether you’re the bird or the person feeding the bird,” replied Dr. Kip Thompson, a Missouri State University Associate Professor in the Public Health and Sports Medicine Department. “For humans, the risk is relatively low.”

Should you take down your bird feeders because of bird flu?

Yep! SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – The recent bird flu outbreak is triggering many questions from people, including concerns over whether or not they should take down their bird feeders because it’s a potential health hazard. The answer?

Should we be worried about bird flu?

Still, there’s no need to panic. “The current strains of bird flu are not the same strains that caused significant mortality a few years ago,” Williams says. Just like the human flu viruses, bird flu viruses are prone to mutating through two different phenomena, Williams explains.

Will there be a bird flu 2022 outbreak?

During this “bird flu 2022” outbreak, one of the first steps, according to Dr. Morishita, is to minimize your flock’s contact with wild birds. These wild birds can be hosts of unwanted and potentially severe viruses, including avian influenza.

Is there a second bird flu outbreak in the UK?

Meanwhile, in the UK, a second bird flu outbreak has been detected in Suffolk in the last 24 hours, making it the fourth to be detected in the last two weeks. News of the bird flu outbreak in France has been picked up by mainstream news media and is being widely reported.

What are the symptoms of bird flu?

The virus may be inhaled by humans or get in their eyes, nose or mouth. The Colorado poultry worker who was recently infected with the bird flu had mild symptoms—mostly fatigue that lasted a few days. Williams says bird flu can also cause symptoms such as fever, chills, cough and sore throat.

Are UK poultry keepers doing enough to keep bird flu out?

UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: ‘Many poultry keepers have excellent biosecurity standards but the number of cases we are seeing suggests that not enough is being done to keep bird flu out.

Is bird flu here to stay?

Encore: A new bird flu is spreading in American birds and it may be here to stay Millions of chickens and turkeys have been killed to control an avian flu outbreak, but the virus is also infecting wild birds. (Story first aired on Weekend Saturday on April 9, 2022.)

Do ducks spread avian influenza?

Historically, ducks like mallards have been considered super-spreaders of avian influenza, infecting wild birds and backyard poultry alike, and Hill and Runstadler’s research found that to be broadly true. Dabbling ducks are powerful vehicles for spreading the virus and for the evolution of the virus in the wild bird reservoir.

What do we know about bird flu in the UK?

Current and suspected cases of avian influenza (bird flu) in the UK and the disease control measures in place. When avian influenza is confirmed or suspected in poultry or other captive birds, disease control zones are put in place around the infected premises to prevent the spread of the disease.

Where has avian influenza been found in the UK?

Highly pathogenic avian influenza confirmed in birds at an eighth premises near Thirsk, Hambleton, North Yorkshire and at a premises near Sudbury, Babergh, South Suffolk. Updated rules on meat produced from poultry and farmed game birds originating in the Protection Zone.

Where has bird flu been confirmed in Devon?

This is the second case of bird flu confirmed in Devon. The first was confirmed at a site near Newton St Cyres on 6 April. A further case in the South West has been confirmed in Ilminster in Somerset. It comes as the UK is experiencing its largest-ever outbreak of bird flu. There are 95 recorded cases in England alone.

Can wild birds catch the flu in the UK?

The disease is always been at large somewhere in the world, and the safety risk for UK wild birds and bird keepers is currently quite high. In theory, any species of wild bird can catch the flu.

Are backyard chickens at risk of bird flu in 2020?

If only one wild bird in a thousand is a carrier of avian influenza, that’s still one too many. Like it or not, backyard chickens are at risk. This is why new rules and new housing measures were introduced in December 2020. What are the new rules for keeping chickens due to bird flu?

Should poultry keepers be complacent about bird flu?

Poultry keepers should not be complacent and should undertake the urgent biosecurity measures needed to halt the spread of bird flu, Scotland’s chief veterinary officer says.

How do waterfowl spread avian influenza?

Wild waterfowl and other species shed the virus into the environment through their oral and nasal secretions and feces. Can people get avian influenza? While rare, human infections with avian influenza viruses have occurred.

What is bird flu H5N1?

Three more outbreaks of bird flu confirmed in Devon Three outbreaks of avian influenza H5N1, more commonly known as bird flu, have been discovered in birds in Devon, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed. All birds at the affected locations were ‘humanely culled’ to prevent further spread of the disease.

What do the new bird flu outbreaks mean for Devon?

Two new outbreaks of avian influenza ( bird flu) have been confirmed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been confirmed in poultry near Ely, East Cambridgeshire, Cambridgeshire and near Newton St. Cyres, Mid Devon, Devon.

When was the bird flu outbreak in Newton St Cyres?

The outbreak in Newton St Cyres was confirmed on April 6, the first case in Tedburn St Mary was suspected on April 6, after a ‘humane culling’ and official testing, a bird flu outbreak was confirmed the next day on April 7. A third case, also in Tedburn St Mary was confirmed yesterday, April 13.

Where has bird flu been found in the UK?

Birds have been kept indoors following the country’s largest ever outbreak of bird flu (stock image) Bird flu has been confirmed in poultry at a premises near Newton St Cyres and is suspected at a second premises in Tedburn St Mary.

Where is avian flu spreading?

H5N1 has been estimated to kill as many as 75% of the birds that have been exposed to it. Where is Avian Flu Spreading? As of January of 2022, the H5N1 strain has been found in the United States in a select group of individual wild birds in three separate areas in North Carolina.

Where has H5N1 avian influenza been confirmed in the UK?

A case of avian influenza H5N1 has also been confirmed in birds at a premises in the Angus constituency in Scotland. Updated to reflect that further testing has confirmed a case of H5N1 Avian Influenza at a premises near Chirk, Wrexham, Wales to be a highly pathogenic strain (HPAI H5N1).

What is bird flu and where can you find it in the UK?

The UK Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed a case of avian influenza (bird flu) at a wildbird rescue centre in Worcestershire today. Wild birds migrating to the UK from mainland Europe during the winter months can carry the disease and this can lead to cases in poultry and other captive birds. All birds on site will be humanely culled.