An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone has been introduced in Northern Ireland following three confirmed cases in wild birds in three different counties.
The order, which came into effect at midday, places a legal requirement on all bird keepers in Northern Ireland to follow strict biosecurity measures.
It applies to people who keep pet birds, commercial flocks, a few birds in a backyard or a hobby flock.
The first case was confirmed on Thursday after tests on a sample collected from a wild goose found around Black Lough near Dungannon, Co Tyrone.
It was the first wild bird to test positive in Northern Ireland since September 2023.
The Department of Agriculture at Stormont has confirmed that two further wild birds tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 yesterday.
One was a buzzard found near Moira, Co Down and the other a whooper swan in Portballintrae, Co Antrim.
Tests on samples of a number of other dead wild birds are being carried out this weekend and the results will be known early next week.
"With the detection of the first cases of notifiable avian influenza in Northern Ireland since September 2023, all flock keepers should take immediate action on biosecurity and good farm practice to reduce the risk of incursion of avian influenza into the Northern Ireland poultry flock," said Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir in a statement.
"Due to the first positive detections of HPAI in wild birds in NI since September 2023, I have decided to implement an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone across Northern Ireland from 12 noon on Saturday 18 January 2025."
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Northern Ireland relies heavily on the agri-food industry as a source of employment with poultry and egg production contributed more than £600 million to the economy.
Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland, Brian Dooher said: "The measures in the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone include stringent, mandatory biosecurity measures to help prevent the spread of the disease from wild birds or another source to poultry; a requirement that poultry or other captive birds are provided with food and water to which wild birds have no access and mandatory rules on cleansing and disinfection.
"There is currently no requirement for poultry to be housed and bird gatherings are not prohibited at this stage, but this will be kept under constant review.
"I would encourage all flock keepers, even if you keep just one bird, to improve biosecurity in order to prevent an incursion of the disease into our poultry flock.
"If Avian Influenza were to enter our Northern Ireland flock, it would have a significant and devastating impact on our poultry industry, international trade and the wider economy."
All poultry and other birds in Northern Ireland must be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
Avian Influenza is a notifiable disease and anyone who suspects an animal may be affected by a notifiable disease must report it to their local Divisional Veterinary Office.
Members of the public are being encouraged to report findings of dead waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, using the DAERA Dead Wild Bird Online Reporting Tool.
Divisional veterinary officer for DAERA Ignatius McKeown said the introduction of the prevention zone is to reinforce the need for high-quality biosecurity measures.
"The positive findings of tests on these wild birds just demonstrates the fact that avian infuenza is present and our major concern would be that it could spread from the wild bird population into the commercial poultry population," he said.
"We are aware that the poultry industry already has top quality biosecurity measures in place, but this is just to reinforce that particular point," Mr McKeown said.
Call for more testing of wild birds
Birdwatch Ireland has called for more testing of wild birds for bird flu.
Speaking to RTÉ News Niall Hatch, who is Head of Communications at the charity, said more surveillance of the wild bird population is "absolutely needed so that we can see the extent of the problem".
"We also need to make sure that in areas where the disease is present or strongly suspected to be present, that measures are taken to avoid disturbance to birds there, so that flocks of birds ... aren't moving between sites, because that increases the risk of the disease spreading."
Responding to the discovery of the disease in Northern Ireland, Mr Hatch said: "Birds don't recognise borders, and anything that happens in Northern Ireland can equal effect here in the Republic.
"So it's very important that there is joined up thinking and cooperation across the entire island and indeed across Europe as well.
"Ireland is an international flyway crossroads for many migratory birds. It's very important that the disease is monitored and we collaborate and cooperate with other countries and jurisdictions."
His advice to any member of the public who comes across a dead or sick bird is "follow the advice that the government are issuing, that is not to approach the sick, dead or dying birds, not to handle them, to keep your pets and your children away from them, because there is a risk, of course, that this could spread to human beings.
People are instead asked to report the to any discoveries Department of Agriculture, he said.
