Weather could bring infected birds here

THE weather in continental Europe over the next few weeks will affect the chances of migratory birds bringing the H5N1 virus into Britain and Ireland, an expert said yesterday.

Mute swans found dead in Germany would not have posed any direct threat to Britain as they do not migrate that far.

However, there is a risk that ducks and geese could come into contact with an infected birds in frozen central Europe before heading to Britain and Ireland in search of food and water. If the continental winter eases, then birds will not need to fly west.

Dr Andre Farrar of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said: “We are at a stage when winter should start to relent, in which case the likelihood is that the birds will then start to move eastwards and to the north.

“If it stays cold and frozen, then birds could move west and come here.

“We will be watching the weather closely over the coming weeks.”

Birds which stop en route from Africa pose a lesser risk, he said.

Swallows, martins, swifts and warblers stop off in Britain from Nigeria, where the H5N1 virus is present, but they are not the wading birds that the flu attacks.

Dr Farrar stressed that the risk posed by migratory birds was real, but should not be overstated.

“We have to look at every way the H5N1 virus might be transmitted.

“Yes, migratory patterns must be studied closely, but we should not let that blind us to the threat posed by the poultry and wild bird trade.

“Britain has got away with it so far, but the nearest we have come was through a wild bird quarantine centre in Essex.

“Every possible preventative measure will be taken against the threat posed by migratory birds, but it would be wrong to bolt the front door while leaving the back door open.”