Bird flu FAQ: I have two hens, do I need to move them indoors now?
"BirdWatch Ireland is very concerned by the increasing number of reports of sick and dead seabirds that it has been receiving in recent days. Gannets, in particular, appear to be badly affected." Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
Avian influenza — or 'avian flu' or 'bird flu' — is in the news a lot at the moment. You might have seen distressing images of dead or sick seabirds on social media or in news reports. The latest update has seen poultry owners ordered to house their birds indoors from next week.
It is an animal disease and it is rare for it to affect humans: we've asked the HSE as well as the Department of Agriculture and Birdwatch Ireland for some information.Â
![<p> The International Union for the Conservation of Nature says that “an ecosystem is collapsed when it is virtually certain that its defining biotic [living] or abiotic [non-living] features are lost from all occurrences, and the characteristic native biota are no longer sustained”.</p> <p> The International Union for the Conservation of Nature says that “an ecosystem is collapsed when it is virtually certain that its defining biotic [living] or abiotic [non-living] features are lost from all occurrences, and the characteristic native biota are no longer sustained”.</p>](/cms_media/module_img/9930/4965053_12_augmentedSearch_iStock-1405109268.jpg)