Bird flu outbreaks trigger cull of more than 23,000 pheasants

Bird flu fears are rising across the UK after a confirmed outbreak in England and a suspected case in Northern Ireland prompted the culling of tens of thousands of birds.

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza was confirmed in commercial pheasants at a farm near Pickering in North Yorkshire on 3 March, according to Defra.

Around 22,000 birds were affected by the outbreak. It is believed to be the sixth site in North Yorkshire to record bird flu since October, following previous cases in Easingwold, Bedale, Thirsk, Elvington and York.

Earlier, the owner of Westfield Farms — which supplies pheasant, partridge and duck to the game shooting industry — confirmed the business was the one affected.

Defra said a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone had been imposed around the farm to limit the spread of the virus.

All poultry birds on the site will be humanely culled, a spokesperson added.

The development comes as a suspected case has also been identified in Northern Ireland.

Around 1,000 pheasants are set to be culled after a suspected case of avian influenza was detected at a poultry farm near Newtownstewart in County Tyrone.

Restrictions have been introduced around the holding while further testing is carried out.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said precautionary measures are now in place as officials work to prevent any potential spread of the virus.

If confirmed, the case would mark the first suspected outbreak in Northern Ireland since November 2025. Three outbreaks have been confirmed during the 2025/26 season so far.

Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher said samples from the affected site have been sent to the National Reference Laboratory for analysis.

Testing will take place while “humane culling gets underway” at the location, he said.

Dooher also urged flock keepers to follow strict biosecurity measures, warning that avian influenza poses a serious threat to Northern Ireland’s poultry sector.

Pheasants are widely reared in Northern Ireland for the game shooting industry and, like other poultry, are vulnerable to bird flu.

Current disease prevention rules require poultry to be kept indoors or otherwise separated from wild birds.

A ban on bird gatherings and shows also remains in place as part of wider disease control measures.

Officials said further updates will be provided once laboratory testing confirms whether avian influenza is present at the County Tyrone farm.

Meanwhile, trials of a new avian influenza vaccine have begun in the UK, raising hopes of a new tool in the fight against bird flu.

The targeted study, launched on Thursday (5 March), will focus on turkeys in England to assess how effectively vaccines can protect birds against highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Vaccination has been widely discussed as a potential additional measure to control the disease alongside culling and strict biosecurity.

Researchers will examine how the vaccines perform in real-world conditions and how vaccination could be integrated into the UK’s long-term strategy for managing avian influenza while maintaining surveillance and international trade requirements.