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Home Page > Environment and Planning > Environmental health > Avian Influenza > Disposal of Dead Birds
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Disposal of dead birds

Bird
The following advice comes from the Defra website.  The full page can be found here and provides very useful information to the general public about the risks involved in dealing with dead birds.

 

Single Dead Garden Birds

If you find dead birds, including garden birds then you should leave them alone, or follow the guidelines below for disposal

 

 

Wild birds can carry several diseases that are infectious to people and some simple hygiene precautions should minimise the risk of infection. It is hard for people to catch avian influenza from birds and the following simple steps are also effective against avian influenza.

 

If you have to move a dead bird:

  1. Avoid touching the bird with your bare hands
  2. If possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling (if disposable gloves are not available see 7)
  3. Place the dead bird in a suitable plastic bag, preferably leak proof. Care should be taken not to contaminate the outside of the bag
  4. Tie the bag and place it in a second plastic bag
  5. Remove gloves by turning them inside out and then place them in the second plastic bag. Tie the bag and dispose of in the normal household refuse bin.
  6. Hands should then be washed thoroughly with soap and water
  7. If disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a make-shift glove. When the dead bird has been picked up, the bag can be turned back on itself and tied. It should then be placed in a second plastic bag, tied and disposed of in the normal household waste
  8. Alternatively, the dead bird can be buried, but not in a plastic bag
  9. Any clothing that has been in contact with the dead bird should be washed using ordinary washing detergent at the temperature normally used for washing the clothing.
  10. Any contaminated indoor surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned with normal household cleaner.

 

Multiple Dead Birds

If you find a dead swan, goose or duck or ten or more dead wild or garden birds together in the same place, please report this to Defra using the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77.

The current Defra helpline opening hours are Monday to Friday 6.00 am to 10.00 pm and Saturday to Sunday 6.00 am to 10.00 pm.

They may want to have the birds examined for signs of specific diseases and will tell you what action to take.

 

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