New measures to help protect birds from avian flu

Our Trading Standards team is reminding bird keepers of new UK-wide legislation coming into force soon which requires all keepers of outdoor birds to register their birds.

The new legislation will require all keepers of outdoor birds – even those who keep only a single bird – to register their birds, including pets. Currently, only those who keep 50 or more poultry must register their bird/s location/s.

This applies to owners of commercial and backyard flocks, birds of prey, pigeon fanciers, and all other captive birds (including pets), with the exception of birds that belong to the order psittaciformes (parrot family, including budgerigars) or passeriformes (perching birds, including jays and finches) and have no outdoor access and are housed within a fully enclosed structure.

The new requirements are aimed at better protecting keepers, their birds, and the general public from notifiable avian diseases.

In Scotland, this legislation is the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (Scotland) Amendment order 2024. Keepers have between 1 September and 1 December 2024 to register the location of their birds on the new Scottish Kept Bird Register (SKBR). Those previously registered on the GB Poultry Register will be required to re-register on the SKBR between these dates.

Gary Foubister manages the Council’s Trading Services team which takes in animal protection: “By registering their birds, keepers will ensure they receive important updates relevant to them, such as on any local avian disease outbreaks and important information on biosecurity rules to help protect themselves and their flocks and help in efforts to limit any spread.

“The information on the register will also help with monitoring outbreaks, so that restriction zones, when needed, can be lifted at the earliest possible opportunity.”

These changes come following the UK’s worst ever outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), with more than 360 cases across Great Britain since late October 2021, including in a significant number of backyard flocks.

The Scottish Kept Bird Register (SKBR) will be launched on 1 September 2024 and will provide a one-stop-shop registration portal for all keepers with birds in Scotland, taking less than 10 minutes to register. 

Further information on the registration of birds can be found on the gov.scot website.