Wild Seabird Avian Influenza Response

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 caused mass mortality in UK seabird colonies from 2021, requiring rapid welfare and monitoring responses across thousands of kilometres of coastline.

Key Facts

HPAI H5N1 killed hundreds of thousands of seabirds in the UK from 2021 onwards
Great skuas, gannets, guillemots and terns were among the worst-affected species
Clinical signs include neurological impairment, paralysis and death within days of infection
Infected birds should not be handled due to zoonotic transmission risk to humans

Welfare Considerations

Seabirds with HPAI experience rapid neurological deterioration including disorientation, inability to fly and convulsions before death. Mass mortality events affect entire colonies simultaneously, causing welfare emergencies at enormous scale. Surviving colony members that witness mass mortality may experience chronic stress through disruption of colonial social structure. The welfare emergency of HPAI is ongoing and requires sustained monitoring and rapid response capability.

What You Can Do

Report sick or dead seabirds to the APHA disease reporting hotline
Do not handle sick seabirds; contact BDMLR for guidance
Support RSPB seabird monitoring programmes that provide early HPAI outbreak detection
Advocate for pandemic preparedness funding for wildlife disease response systems