Defra has released information on the number of wild birds found to have Avian Influenza in January.

There were six findings in wild birds in England, but none in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, despite widespread testing of wild birds.

A bird sanctuary, near Weymouth in West Dorset had 20 mute swans, a pochard and a Canada goose that were infected.

At a reservoir in Rugby, Warwickshire there was a large die-off of 68 birds of mixed species. Most were great black-backed gulls and herring gulls but a tufted duck and a great crested grebe also died.

On a Hertford nature reserve 19 birds of mixed species were found to be infected, including greylag goose, common and herring gulls, and Aylesbury, tufted and mallard ducks.

Eight mallards and a moorhen on a river near Oakham, Rutland were found to be infected and a tufted duck in a country park near Wakefield in West Yorkshire. Finally two infected mute swans were found in a lake near Hampstead Heath in London.

To date there have been no detections in poultry in either the UK's commercial or non-commercial sectors.

It is likely that there will be more findings in wild birds so the need for strong biosecurity should continue in order to prevent incursions into poultry and other kept birds.

The government strongly recommend that all poultry keepers (including those with only a few birds) should familiarise themselves with government guidance on good biosecurity and how to report suspicion of disease appropriately. Further information is available at gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu including updated biosecurity advice for poultry keepers for England; gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/ahw/poultry/bird-gatheringsadvice/?lang=en for Wales and gov.scot/avianinfluenza for Scotland.

The public is asked to use the Defra helpline Tel: 03459 33 55 77 to report findings of dead wild birds, in particular, any wild ducks, wild geese, swans, gulls or birds of prey and where more than five birds of any other species are found dead in the same location.