Tasmania is responding to H5 bird flu. Read the latest update.
H5 bird flu is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly by bird-to-bird contact, as well as through contact with contaminated material such as drinking water and food, manure, farming materials and equipment.
How to protect your birds
If you own birds, some simple hygiene practices will help you protect your flock.
Make sure wild birds cannot access the same food and water supply as your birds.
Don’t use water from sources wild birds also use.
Keep your infrastructure and equipment clean.
Wash your hands after handling birds and equipment.
Keep visitors away from your bird areas.
Quarantine new birds before introducing them to your flock.
House your birds where practical
If you keep any birds in Tasmania, it’s time to think about your biosecurity plan and how you will house your birds to protect them from H5 bird flu.
How to protect your birds:
Protecting Domestic Poultry from Avian Influenza (PDF 82Kb)
Biosecurity Checklist for Bird Keepers (PDF 162Kb)
Registering your birds
It is strongly recommended to register any pet bird you keep to receive biosecurity updates.
There are two registration methods depending on your situation:
Domestic bird registration form This is for domestic pet bird keepers, including chickens, quails, ducks, geese, pigeons, canaries, parrots, finches or other aviary birds.
Property Identification Code Registration Form If you’re in rural area and you have a larger flock, then a Property Identification Code registration is necessary. For registering birds, this is free of charge.
Disease signs and symptoms
It is important to stay vigilant for signs and symptoms of bird flu in birds and other animals because it can look like other diseases.
Clinical signs of bird flu in live birds include:
breathing problems like coughing or sneezing
circling
tremors and incoordination
twisted neck
inability to stand or fly
swelling in the head, neck and eyes
change of colour or cloudiness in the eyes
diarrhoea
drop in water and feed intake
drop in egg production
Reporting sick or dead birds and other animals
If you see sick or dead birds or animals:
Avoid contact (do not touch, and keep pets away)
Record what you see (photo, video, location, detail)
Report it as soon as possible to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline 1800 675 888 (24/7), or through our online reporting forms.
What to expect in an outbreak
An outbreak could:
cause large numbers of bird and wild mammal deaths
affect poultry (chicken and egg farms) and other industries
mean activities like wildlife rescue, hunting, and muttonbird harvesting need to pause
make veterinary care harder to access (you should phone your vet before taking a bird to the clinic)
some areas may be closed for periods of time to prevent disease spread and reduce risk to human health
scavenging species such as the Tasmanian devil, wedge-tailed eagles, or quolls may become sick and die after eating infected birds
there could be large numbers of dead birds or other animals visible in the community
it may not be possible to remove all dead birds or other animals from an area.
Biosecurity Tasmania may require controls including:
A housing order which means you must keep birds in a designated area and away from wild birds.
Other movement controls such as:
- bird shows or other kept bird gatherings may be cancelled
- you may need a permit to be able to move birds into or out of a restricted area
- you may not be able to distribute or sell eggs or other poultry products without a permit.
Human health
Human infections with avian influenza are rare and require direct and close contact with infected animals.
People should avoid touching sick or dead birds or animals.
If you must handle sick or dead birds, you can help protect yourself by wearing PPE which should include:
Wash your hands thoroughly after handling any birds and equipment.
Visit the Tasmanian Department of Health website for more human health information.
Disposal of dead birds on your property
Before disposal
NRE Tas through Biosecurity Tasmania may want to collect and test samples from dead birds as part of our disease response.
If you suspect a bird or animal death is from bird flu, before you start disposing of dead birds, phone the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline 1800 675 888. NRE Tas will provide advice on whether the dead birds or other animals will need to be tested.
Preferred disposal
Burial is the preferred way to dispose of a dead bird where bird flu is suspected or confirmed.
If burial is not an option and you have only a few small birds (ie they will fit in a leakproof plastic bag and the general waste bin) on your land, double bag the birds or other animals and place them in your general waste bin.
Do not have hand to mouth contact (such as smoking, eating, and touching your face) when handling dead birds and other animals.
Instructions for burial (preferred):
1. Protective clothing
Wear disposable protective gloves or gardening gloves (a plastic bag covering each hand can be used).
Wear a mask and eye protection when picking up and handling the dead bird.
Do not put the bird in a plastic bag as it will delay the carcass breaking down.
2. Burial site
Choose a spot away from your house, vegetable garden, water sources, or where children and pets spend time.
Bury the dead bird immediately to a depth of at least 60cm if possible.
3. Secure the burial site
4. Clean up
Take off gloves and put in a plastic bag.
Wash your hands.
Take off your mask and put them in the plastic bag with the gloves.
Put the plastic bag in the rubbish bin (landfill).
Wash your hands again.
Clean all other clothing and equipment including your goggles and footwear.
Wash hands and forearms with soap and water.
If burial is not an option:
1. Protective clothing
- Wear disposable protective gloves or gardening gloves, a mask and eye protection when picking up and handling the dead bird.
2. Contain the dead bird
3. Dispose of the dead bird
4. Clean up
Take off gloves and put in a plastic bag.
Wash your hands.
Take off your mask and put them in the plastic bag with the gloves.
Put the plastic bag in the rubbish bin (landfill).
Wash your hands again.
Clean all other clothing and equipment including your goggles and footwear.
Wash hands and forearms with soap and water.
View a poster with illustrations about how to double bag a small animal:
How to dispose of a dead bird or other animal - A3 poster (PDF 490Kb)
Food safety
Eggs, poultry, and game meat are safe to eat if they are handled and cooked according to standard food handling practices.
Practice good hygiene when preparing food, including washing your hands and utensils after contact with raw poultry and game products.
For more information go to the Food Safety Information Council website.
Support services
Bird flu outbreaks can result in the loss of both wild and domestic birds and, potentially, some mammal species. This can be upsetting and concerning for communities.