Bird flu: rules if you keep racing pigeons, birds of prey and other captive birds
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-08)

How to manage racing pigeons, birds of prey and other captive birds during a bird flu (avian influenza) outbreak.

You must follow the rules to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bird-flu-avian-influenza-how-to-prevent-it-and-stop-it-spreading). The rules apply to all captive birds, including:
- pets
- birds of prey
- racing pigeons
- specialist collections
Report signs of disease

You must check your birds regularly for signs of disease. Contact your vet immediately if you have any concerns.

If you suspect bird flu you must report it immediately (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu). If you do not report it, you’re breaking the law.

Check if you’re in a disease control zone or an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ)

Check what zone you’re in on the bird flu disease zone map (https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d) and follow the rules for that zone (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu-cases-and-disease-control-zones-in-england).

Disease control zones include:
- protection zones
- surveillance zones
- captive bird (monitoring) controlled zones
- temporary control zones
Flying racing pigeons, doves and other Columbiformes

In disease control zones

If you’re in a bird flu disease control zone, you:
- can fly racing pigeons, doves or other Columbiformes from their home loft for up to one hour, once a day as a single loft
- must try to prevent your birds having any contact with wild birds
- must not leave lofts open for birds to come and go
- must not fly birds together from more than one loft (bird gatherings are not allowed in disease control zones)
In an AIPZ

If you’re in an AIPZ you:
- can fly racing pigeons, doves or other Columbiformes from their home loft for up to one hour, once a day as a single loft
- must try to prevent your birds having any contact with wild birds
- must not leave lofts open for birds to come and go
- should avoid flying your birds in areas where there are lots of poultry
- must cleanse and disinfect any baskets, boxes and vehicles you use to transport your birds with a Defra-approved disinfectant (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/defra-approved-disinfectant-when-and-how-to-use-it)
- may transport racing pigeons, doves or other Columbiformes from the same loft to a point away from their home loft (a location that is not in a disease control zone) to release them for training or an event – but they must fly back to their home loft or be gathered and transported back to their home loft as soon as possible
Flying birds of prey or other captive bird species from hand or under close control

These rules do not apply to poultry. Poultry includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeons bred for meat, partridges, quail, guinea fowl and pheasants.

If your bird catches a wild bird or goes missing for more than one minute, you must:
- isolate it from other birds
- closely monitor it for signs of bird flu (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu) for 14 days before you let it fly for exercise again
In disease control zones

If you’re in a bird flu disease control zone, you:
- can fly birds of prey or other species trained to fly from hand (such as parrots), including for pest control, from their home location for up to one hour a day
- must not leave bird houses open for birds to come and go
- must try to prevent your birds having any contact with wild birds while they are flying
- must apply for a licence to move your bird (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bird-flu-avian-influenza-movement-licences) to or from a premises in a surveillance zone for flying
In an AIPZ

If you’re in an AIPZ you:
- can fly birds of prey or other species trained to fly from hand (such as parrots), including for pest control, from their home location for up to one hour a day
- must not leave bird houses open for birds to come and go
- must try to prevent your birds having any contact with wild birds while they are flying
- may transport birds of prey or other species trained to fly from hand from the same location to a point (not in a disease control zone) away from their home for exercise, an event or pest control
- should avoid flying your birds in areas with lots of poultry
- must cleanse and disinfect the baskets, boxes and vehicles you use to transport your birds using a Defra-approved disinfectant (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/defra-approved-disinfectant-when-and-how-to-use-it)
Bird gatherings

Bird gatherings are not allowed in disease control zones.

Gatherings of racing pigeons, doves and other Columbiformes, birds of prey and other birds trained to fly from hand (not poultry) are allowed in an AIPZ. You need to:
- check the rules for bird gatherings in England (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bird-gatherings-licences)
- follow the conditions in the other captive birds general licence (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bird-gatherings-general-licence)
Feeding wild birds to birds of prey

Do not feed any wild birds or wild shot or hunted wildfowl to birds of prey:
- during a bird flu outbreak
- when the risk of bird flu in wild birds (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-avian-influenza-latest-situation-in-england#risk) is medium, high or very high
This includes wild birds that have been frozen. The avian influenza virus can survive in frozen carcasses for at least 12 months.