UK Wildlife

UK Wild Bird HPAI Recovery

UK wild bird populations are recovering from the devastating HPAI H5N1 avian influenza outbreak of 2022, with ongoing surveillance and biosecurity measures protecting both wild and domestic birds.

Key Facts

2021-2023 HPAI outbreak was the most severe ever recorded in Europe affecting wild and domestic birds
Seabirds including gannets, guillemots, and terns suffered catastrophic mortality at breeding sites
Barn owls and raptors were also significantly affected through infected prey
APHA and RSPB maintain surveillance to detect new outbreaks early
Recovery of some species including gannets at some sites is encouraging but populations are still depleted

Welfare Considerations

HPAI wild bird welfare requires ongoing surveillance, early response, and biosecurity at key sites. The welfare suffering caused by HPAI at the scale seen in 2022 represents one of the largest mass wildlife welfare events in UK history. Recovery monitoring is essential for assessing long-term population impacts.

What You Can Do

Report any dead or sick wild birds to APHA for HPAI surveillance
Follow biosecurity advice near domestic poultry during high-risk periods
Support RSPB seabird monitoring programmes tracking HPAI population recovery