RSPB step up bird reserve checks

There will be daily checks on reserves on the east coast

RSPB Scotland is to check daily for sick or dead birds on its east coast reserves following the confirmation of H5 avian flu in a dead swan in Fife.

Staff have been carrying out twice-weekly checks for sick or injured birds across Scotland since October.

Now the checks are being increased at the society's Vane Farm at Loch Leven, Loch of Kinnordy and Loch of Strathbeg reserves.

Officials will be looking for "anything suspicious which might indicate H5N1".

Stuart Housden, RSPB Scotland director, said: "In the light of the events in Fife, we are now stepping up our bird monitoring work on our reserves, particularly those where swans and wildfowl are found.

We would stress that H5N1 remains a disease of birds and not of humans Stuart Housden RSPB Scotland director

"It has to be borne in mind that it is not unusual to find dead birds on nature reserves.

"Birds die all the time for a wide variety of reasons but our staff will be looking for anything suspicious that might indicate the presence of H5N1 such as an unusually high number of dead birds in one particular spot.

"If they are concerned, they will then contact the relevant authorities whose representatives will remove the birds and take them away for testing."

He added: "We would stress that H5N1 remains a disease of birds and not of humans."

Monitoring developments

The only human cases have been among people who had been in extremely close contact with birds, often with them living in their houses, as has occurred in China and Vietnam.

Mr Housden said: "People should continue to enjoy watching and feeding birds, exercising the usual health and hygiene precautions."

RSPB Scotland intends to continue monitoring developments and liaising with the Scottish Executive and other bodies as the situation develops.

It has been in regular contact with the executive since last Autumn and said it had confidence in their contingency plans.