Defra announces new measures as Bird Flu cases rise again

In January this year, Defra declared the whole of England (and Scotland) an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPV), after increased outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI, also known as Bird Flu).

In addition to this, throughout the year various mandatory housing orders for bird flocks were introduced and then relaxed in a number of high-risk counties.

However, as from Thursday 30 October 2025, mandatory housing measures will come into force once again across a large number of counties in England, following another increase in the number of detected HPAI outbreaks.

Here is the declaration announcing the mandatory new housing measures, as well as details of all the other biosecurity etc measures still in place across England:

Amidst all this, conservationists have argued that the release of ~60 million non-native gamebirds for shooting created more risk for the spread of this highly contagious disease, especially when research revealed that a large number of shooting estates were not even declaring they had birds, making it impossible for Defra and APHA (Animal & Plant Health Agency) to monitor and manage the risk.

Defra and Natural England responded by withdrawing General Licence 45 (the licence permitting the release of gamebirds on or within 500m of a Special Protected Area (SPA)) and heavily reducing the number of individual licences for the same purpose (see here). In August, enhanced mandatory biosecurity measures were also introduced, including for game bird shoots, and these remain in place.

Over the last month, a series of new Bird flu outbreaks have been detected – nine in England, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. These outbreaks have been mostly at commercial poultry facilities but worryingly one of the current outbreaks is at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Martin Mere Reserve in Lancashire. According to a BBC News report the outbreak was in an enclosed area away from visitors and the reserve has now reopened again after shutting for several days last week.

Here’s the list of current Avian Influenza outbreaks:

ENGLAND

Nr Newington, Swale, Kent (AIV2025/71), 27 Oct 2025. Centred around grid ref TG8705566097.

Nr Cumwhitton, Cumbria (AIV2025/62), 28 Sept 2025. Centred around grid ref NY4981852576.

Nr Lakenheath, Suffolk (AIV2025/70), 26 Oct 2025. Centred around grid ref TL7140385506.

Nr Penrith, Cumbria (AIV2025/69), 25 Oct 2025. Centred around grid red NY4960129288.

Nr Bedale, Thirsk & Malton, North Yorkshire (AIV2025/68), 25 Oct 2025. Centred around grid ref SE2558892790.

Nr Burscough, Lancashire (AIV2025/66), 24 Oct 2025. Centred around grid ref SD4265514539.

Nr Penrith (again), Cumbria (AIV2025/65), 18 Oct 2025. Centred around grid ref NY4926628701.

Nr Wybunbury, Cheshire (AIV2025/64), 13 Oct 2025. Centred around grid ref SJ7412046475.

Broughton, nr Stockbridge, Hants (AIV2025/63), 11 Oct 2025. Centred around grid ref SU3061332391.

WALES

Llandrillo, Denbighshire, 25 Oct 2025. Centred around grid ref SJ0309339758.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Nr Omagh, County Tyrone, 9 Oct 2025 (no further details available).

UPDATE 12 November 2025: Compulsory housing orders across England, Wales & Northern Ireland to combat ‘significantly elevated threat’ of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) here.