Guidance for site managers
The following sets out simple steps that site managers can take to limit the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) by human activities and give vulnerable bird species the best possible chance of survival and recovery by reducing any additional stress. This guidance covers any site where significant numbers of wild birds gather to breed, feed or roost, such as islands, shorelines, wetlands, and inland waterbodies, and includes protected areas and non-designated sites.
This guidance was last updated on 15 December 2022.
Background
The HPAI virus H5N1 is circulating widely within wild bird populations in Scotland. There is concern about the impact of HPAI on vulnerable bird species, particularly in waterfowl, seabirds and raptors.
Avian influenza is a virus that mainly affects birds. Migratory birds, especially water birds, can carry the virus along their migration routes. Since seriously impacting seabird populations in summer 2022, the avian flu crisis has been rapidly evolving and deteriorating. Tragically, this disease could be with us for some time to come.
HPAI is spread by direct contact between birds through mingling, or indirect contact through feathers, faeces and other excretions. Indirect transmission due to environmental contamination appears to be the main driver of infection for wild birds. Influenza A viruses can remain infective for several months in freshwater at low temperatures and waterborne transmission appears to be the primary driver of infection in aquatic birds.
Minimising risks to wild birds
This guidance is based on reactive strategies for dealing with outbreaks of diseases in wildlife and has the following aims.
- Reduce the spread of the H5N1 virus between sites by human activities. HPAI can be spread through direct contact, for example handling infected birds, or indirect contact through transfer of faeces and feathers. The H5N1 virus can survive on organic matter such as soil and nesting material for several weeks.
- Minimising the effect of other stressors on the birds. Common stressors include lack of availability of food, human disturbance, predators, and extreme weather events. Minimising human disturbance to sites at sensitive times of the birds’ life cycle is the quickest way to reduce unnecessary stress on the birds.
Actions for site managers
The following are general actions that site managers can take to limit the spread of HPAI by human activities and give birds the best possible chance of survival and recovery by reducing any additional stress.
- Limit access to areas where affected birds are feeding, resting or breeding.
- Stop all activities which require direct contact or handling of affected birds.
- Warn visitors about the presence of HPAI and in particular not to pick up or handle dead birds.
- Provide local advice to visitors about how to avoid walking through areas where affected birds are feeding, resting or breeding.
- Encourage staff, volunteers and visitors to clean and disinfect their footwear before entering and leaving the site, where feasible.
- Continue with planned conservation activities, such as monitoring, where this can be undertaken safely without walking through areas where affected birds are feeding, resting or breeding or causing additional stress to the birds.
- Report sightings of sick and dead birds to Defra’s online reporting system (see guidance on reporting sick and dead birds below).
- Our advice remains not to remove carcasses as this is unlikely to impact significantly on transmission rates. There may be a case for removing carcasses from sites where there is very high public access such as beaches.
The guidance below on provides further details on these actions.
Visitor management
In Scotland, you can go on to most land to enjoy the outdoors – as long as you behave responsibly and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Scottish access rights apply, for example, to beaches and the coast, islands and lochs, regardless of whether they are protected areas, and include things like walking, climbing, kayaking, wild camping, and watching wildlife.
The Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code provides guidance to help visitors to enjoy these activities whilst minimising disturbance at sensitive times in birds’ life cycles. If people are not observing the Code, site managers or NatureScot can put up notices warning people that their presence on a site might have an adverse effect on wildlife.
This section of the guidance has the following aims
- Reduce the spread of the H5N1 virus between sites by avoiding walking through places where birds may be feeding, resting, or breeding.
- Reduce unnecessary stress on the birds by avoiding human disturbance to sites at sensitive times in the birds’ life cycle.
Site managers should warn visitors about the presence of HPAI and in particular not to pick up or handle dead birds. Download this visitor information poster on HPAI to display at car parks and other access points.
Site managers should provide local advice to visitors to help them avoid walking through areas where birds are feeding, resting or breeding. This may include notices at boat landings, car parks, footpath diversions or closures, discouraging disturbance of breeding colonies or roosting sites, or wardens on site to liaise with visitors.
- More general access restrictions may be necessary where large numbers of birds congregate to feed, rest or breed . In such situations it is reasonable for site managers to request that visitors do not access certain areas of land at sensitive times of the birds’ life cycle, especially during a severe disease outbreak.
Visitors should follow any locally available advice about avoiding disturbance to breeding seabirds and the general advice below.
General advice for visitors
The Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code provides the following general advice to help visitors to enjoy watching wildlife whilst minimising disturbance.
- Avoid walking through places where birds may be feeding, resting, breeding or with their young
- Be careful not to scare birds off nests or trample burrows/nests.
- Do not intentionally divide or put up flocks of birds.
- Follow any locally available advice about avoiding disturbance to wildlife. If you’re visiting a wildlife viewing site then you may be asked to follow specific routes to minimise disturbance.
- Use wildlife watching hides wherever possible
- Keep a good lookout and don’t get too close. Use binoculars or a telescope to get better views.
- Keep your dog under close control at all times as they can cause great disturbance. Keep dogs away from sick or dead birds.
Detailed advice for visitors and site managers
The Guide to Best Practice for Watching Marine Wildlife provides more detailed advice on how to avoid disturbance to birds in different situations.
- Birds nesting on the ground. Don’t get close to areas where you know birds nest. You may inadvertently trample on nests as both eggs and chicks can be extremely well camouflaged. Try to keep at least 200 metres from colonies of ground-nesting birds.
- Birds nesting in burrows. Look out for and keep your distance from burrows. If you walk over an area with burrows you may cause them to collapse, and you may deter birds from entering or leaving the burrows. Please follow any agreed information aimed at avoiding damage and disturbance. This may include keeping to specific routes to protect the burrows and a minimum approach distance as putting resting birds to flight causes additional stress and uses up precious energy.
- Birds nesting on cliffs. If you are watching from a boat, reduce speed to the minimum compatible with safety as you approach. We recommend a minimum approach distance of at least 50 metres, although this may be varied according to species and circumstance. If you go too close and cause panic departure, eggs or chicks may be dislodged from nesting sites.
- Birds at sea. Seabirds can form large groups, or rafts, on the sea both in summer and in winter. If you see a raft of birds ahead, reduce speed to less than 6 knots as you approach. We recommend a minimum approach distance of around 50 metres, although this may be varied according to species and circumstance. Avoid driving your boat, or other leisure craft, through rafts of birds – navigate around them where practicable and safe to do so. Breaking up rafts can make them more vulnerable to predators and uses up precious energy.
- Birds on the shore. On approach, try to establish what the birds are doing. If they are feeding, try to keep at least 50 metres away. If they are moving, try not to deflect them from their path – move in the same direction parallel to the birds. Try to keep at least 200 metres away from flocks of resting birds as putting them to flight causes additional stress and uses up precious energy.
The National Access Forum has produced guidance for site managers and access officers on managing access around sensitive wildlife. This guidance is currently under review but the principles will remain relevant to all types of wildlife disturbance. A sign template for breeding wildlife is available to download and print.
Under Section 29 of the Land Reform Act, NatureScot can put up signs asking visitors not to exercise access rights in particular ways or places in order to protect the natural heritage. A related power exists under Section 41 of the Nature Conservation Act, allowing NatureScot to put up signs to inform people about sensitive natural heritage interests on protected areas. Both types of sign are essentially advisory in nature. Disregard for such guidance could, however, be taken as evidence in a judicial determination about responsible behaviour or prosecution for reckless disturbance. In practice, the same information can be conveyed by any sign and it is likely that seabirds can be protected equally well by informal signs put up by site managers, without the use of these powers.
Biosecurity measures
Biosecurity
There are some simple ways that everyone can help to prevent the spread of HPAI. These steps will help to minimises the risk of spreading animal and plant diseases, as well as non-native species onto wildlife sites.
Follow these simple steps before you enter or leave the wildlife site
Check
Check your footwear, outerwear and equipment for mud, plant material or bird droppings. Remove anything you find and leave it where you are.
Clean
Make sure everything is clean and visually free of mud, soil, faeces, etc. If necessary, use a brush or wash in soapy water.
Disinfect
Spray the boot/sole or equipment with disinfectant solution until it runs off. Alternatively, dip boots in disinfectant. Work the solution in using a hand held brush, brushing away from the face and eyes.
Biosecurity kit for cleansing and disinfection
The clothing that people are wearing will depend on where they are going, the type of environment, the weather conditions etc.
All protective clothing, such as waterproofs and boots, should be capable of being disinfected. The following items are recommended for cleaning and disinfection
- plastic storage box
- small supply of water (approx 5 litres)
- approved disinfectant
- boot tray or bucket
- eye protection
- protective gloves
- hard brush
- brush, sponge or portable sprayer for applying disinfectant,
- hand sanitiser/wipes and paper towels
- selection of re-sealable bags
- bag ties.
Cover footbaths when not in use. UV light will break down the active ingredients in the disinfectant more quickly and rainwater will dilute the solution.
Clean footwear before using footbaths. Mud and other organic material will shorten the active life of the disinfectant. Disinfectant is most effective at killing disease when applied to a clean surface.
Virkon S is the general purpose agricultural disinfectant recommended for use against HPAI on wildlife sites. It comes in 5g tablets that make 500 ml of solution, suitable for a sprayer, and 50g tablets that make 5 litres of solution suitable for a boot tray.
Please follow the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) advice supplied with the disinfectant.
- Follow the instructions on the product label
- Wear protective gloves and eye-protection
- Mix and use the disinfectant in a well-ventilated place
- Carry out the disinfection process on a flat area well away from any watercourses
- Apply disinfectant to clean surfaces – remove mud, soil, leaves and other organic debris by washing first with water
- Observe any specific contact times and, if necessary, rinse off the disinfectant afterwards with clean water.
More information about this approach is available in Biosecurity practices for animal health: guidance for public sector staff.
Biosecurity controls
The risk of spreading HPAI between different locations is influenced by
- The extent of the visits and activities being undertaken
- The type of environment
- The proximity to areas where birds are feeding, resting or breeding
- If there are any current diseases outbreaks on the site or elsewhere.
The following framework describes four levels of biosecurity control and indicates when you should practise each level.
Level 1
Ensure footwear is clean
- General public access where no birds are present
- Entering areas where birds may be present when disease is not circulating
Level 2
Clean and disinfect all footwear
- Entering areas where birds may be present when disease is circulating widely
- Close proximity to breeding birds when disease not circulating widely
Level 3
Wear appropriate protective clothing. Thoroughly clean and disinfect all contaminated clothing and equipment.
- Close contact with live birds, for example bird ringing
- Handling dead birds when disease not circulating widely
Level 4
Seek specialist advice from the lead organisation.
- Close contact with live birds or
- Handling dead birds when disease is circulating widely (see section on Carcass Disposal below)
Cleaning and disinfecting contaminated footwear, clothing and equipment significantly reduces the risk of transferring the H5N1 virus. However avoiding risky activities is the only way to eliminate the risk of spread.
- Keep access to a minimum
- Keep to footpaths and main access routes, where possible
- Avoid areas where birds are feeding, roosting or breeding
- Avoid activities that involve handling or close proximity to birds
- Plan your trip so that you visit the most risky site last.
If it is likely that HPAI is circulating within populations of birds which use the site, managers should review the activities taking place on the site and identify control measures to avoid or reduce the risks of spreading disease and causing additional stress to the birds.
We recommend listing the activities and operations that take place on the site and breaking them down into a series of tasks. This approach is based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP). At the heart of HACCP is the precautionary principle, so the risk assessment does not attempt to ascribe a value or rating to the severity or the potential impacts. The likelihood of disease transmission is considered, but the emphasis is not on the overall risk but on developing control measures for each activity to prevent the spread of HPAI.
More information about this approach is available in Annex B of the Guidance on Marine Biosecurity Planning.
Bird ringing, research and monitoring
This section of the guidance has the following aims
- Reduce the spread of the H5N1 virus between sites by avoiding walking through places where birds may be feeding, resting, or breeding.
- Reduce unnecessary stress on the birds by avoiding human disturbance to sites at sensitive times in the birds’ life cycle.
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) licenses bird ringing (fitting small metal identification rings to birds’ legs) under an organisational licence issued by NatureScot. Fitting telemetry and data logging devices requires an additional research licence from NatureScot.
In response to growing concern over the spread and impact of the current H5N1 strain of HPAI, the BTO has developed a ringing framework, to manage the risks to both birds and bird ringers, and has promoted this framework through the bird-ringing network.
Bird monitoring
Monitoring of bird populations and surveillance for numbers of dead birds may continue where this can be done without walking through areas where birds are feeding, resting or breeding or causing unnecessary stress on the birds. When HPAI is circulating widely within bird populations
- Surveyors should not enter breeding bird colonies where they have to walk between nests. Try to keep at least 200m from colonies of ground nesting birds and 50m from burrow nesting and cliff nesting birds.
- Wetland bird surveyors and goose counters should take extra care to avoid putting resting or feeding birds to flight.
- Vantage-point surveys can continue if they can be conducted without surveyors causing unnecessary disturbance to birds.
- Surveyor should follow the Biosecurity Measures section above, including cleaning and disinfecting footwear and clothing, which may have become contaminated with mud, soil, faeces, etc., before entering or leaving the site.
Do not touch or pick up any dead or sick birds that you find.
Reporting of dead and sick birds
Do not touch or pick up any dead or sick birds that you find.
Please report dead wild birds to Defra’s online reporting service if you find
- 1 dead bird of prey
- 3 or more dead birds that include at least one gull, goose or duck
- 5 or more dead wild birds of any species at the same place at the same time
This reporting system feeds into the GB Avian Influenza Wild Bird Surveillance (AIWBS) run by Animal and Plant Health Authority (APHA). The AIWBS monitors the spread of AI in wild bird populations in different part of Great Britain to inform the disease risk assessment for poultry flocks. APHA will arrange for dead birds to be collected within 4 days if they are needed for testing. Not all birds will be collected. For example, they will not be collected if dead birds in the same area have been collected recently for testing, or if the dead birds are in locations which are difficult to access.
NatureScot has invited reserve managers and volunteers in key locations to submit records of dead birds they see during the course their normal activities. Reserve staff and volunteers submit counts directly into an online database a generic reporting app. NatureScot staff review these records on a weekly basis to track the progress of the outbreak. If the dead birds meet the criteria for testing, recorders still need to report them to Defra’s online reporting service. The Defra reference number is recorded in the comments section of NatureScot’s mortality database.
Disposal of carcasses
The general advice remains do not touch or remove carcasses. This is based on the following expert advice provided by virologists and animal health specialists at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Scottish Government.
- Carcass removal is unlikely to impact significantly on transmission rates
- While the risk to public health is low there is still a risk which is why the message remains, “do not touch dead birds”
- Carcasses are treated as a Category 1 disease risk under the Animal By-Products (ABP) legislation and must be disposed of through an approved facility.
- There may be a case made for removing carcasses from sites where there is very high public access such as beaches.
- Any removal will require risk assessment and use of full PPE.
Where the landowner or operative deems it appropriate for a dead wild bird, suspected of being infected with HPAI, to be collected and disposed of, then the following guidance has been provided by SG Animal Disease Control Branch.
Operatives must still conduct their own dynamic risk assessments in line with their own employer’s policies and instructions and in line with other government department guidance. Operatives are also advised to engage with their local public health team representatives prior to collection of bird carcasses.
Please note: it is especially important that any operatives who own (or care for) their own (or other’s) poultry or other captive birds ensure they practice appropriate personal biosecurity if they have dealt with dead wild birds.
How should dead wild birds be disposed of?
If it is suspected that a wild animal (including birds) is infected with a disease that can spread to people or animals, such as HPAI (which is a notifiable animal disease, the carcasses must be disposed of as a Category 1 ABP as per the Animal Health and Welfare guidance.
Derogation exists within Scottish ABP legislation for certain areas of Scotland considered remote. The remote burial derogation exists in the Highlands and Islands, excluding the Isle of Bute, but should not be regarded as the first option, rather it should be the very last option considered for animal by product disposal purposes. Burial in such cases should be carried out in accordance with the Prevention of environmental pollution from agricultural activity (PEPFAA) code on disposal of animal carcasses.
Where dead birds are on public land, it is the Local Authorities’ responsibility to safely dispose of the carcasses as animal by-products (if disposal is required).
Advice on the collection of dead wild birds/carcasses
There is a possibility that you or your colleagues will be handling dead wild birds/carcasses infected with HPAI during this work. Therefore, exposure to HPAI may occur, although the risk of becoming infected yourself is very low. Transmission is by inhalation or ingestion of faeces and/or mucus secretions.
Reduce the risk of infection
Always wear protective clothing – disposable overalls, rubber/polyurethane boots (or disposable shoe covers), disposable FFP3 mask (or full-face respirator), safety goggles, disposable nitrile/vinyl/heavy duty rubber (not latex) gloves. PPE must be Face-fit Tested.
How to handle dead wild birds
Approach with caution and confirm the bird/animal is dead before attempting to handle it. When the dead wild bird has been picked up, a plastic bag can be turned back on itself and tied. It should then be placed in a second plastic bag, tied and disposed of as an animal by-product (as above).
Maintain a high level of personal hygiene
Gloves should be carefully removed and disposed of safely. Cover all cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressings before starting work. Always wash thoroughly with disinfectant soap and water after handling dead wild birds, or use anti-viral hand-wash/wipes. Wash any injuries – especially cuts – immediately, and cover with a waterproof dressing. Always wash your hands and exposed skin before eating, drinking, smoking or preparing food. Any clothing that has been in contact with the dead bird should be washed using ordinary washing detergent at the standard manufacturer’s recommended temperature.
Health restrictions
If you have any of the following, you should not collect carcasses until you have sought further advice from your H&S or Occupational Health representative:
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Renal/kidney conditions
- Severe lung conditions (e.g. bronchitis; emphysema; cystic fibrosis)
- Immune system disorders
- Known severe allergic (anaphylactic) reactions to egg products, seasonal influenza vaccines, or anti-viral medications.
Other risks
Chemicals used for cleansing and disinfection can irritate your skin and lungs. Only use these chemicals according to the instructions and wear your protective equipment.
There may be manual handling risks involved with moving large, heavy birds, e.g. swans. Use good manual handling techniques. Do not attempt to lift any large carcasses if you have existing medical conditions that may be aggravated.
Take account of ground conditions, water hazards, weather etc. when assessing accessibility of carcass. DO NOT ENTER UNSAFE AREAS.
Government approved disinfectants
Please see the information from Defra about how and when to use disinfectant on the Government website.
Small volumes (≤ 5 litres) of used disinfectant should be disposed of in a well vegetated (grassed) area, which must be at least 10 m away from any watercourse, ditch, surface water drain etc. In a built-up area, small amounts of disinfectant (≤ 5 litres) can be disposed of in a sewer, but this can only be done with prior approval from Scottish Water.
Local authorities can seek further advice on disinfectant disposal from SEPA at: [email protected]
Contacts
HPAI and carcass disposal Alastair MacGugan Mobile: 07876 478305
Biosecurity and visitor management Stan Whitaker Mobile: 07786 126555
