Maldon rare birds culled due to bird flu

A woman, who had a large collection of unique birds in Maldon has spoken out about her experience after 206 of her birds were culled.

She has criticised the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) following the “awful” culling of her bird collection.

Her family had kept a private collection of rare and exotic birds for 80 years.

In an interview with the BBC she said on October, 9, positive results revealed the flu was present within her flock of birds and they were culled a week later.

The agency has exempted 43 rare breeds which include nine ducks and 34 parakeets.

If further tests on those birds come back positive, then they will also be culled.

Typically, entire flocks will be culled to prevent the spread of the flu, which includes healthy birds.

Owners are usually entitled to compensation.

The woman told the BBC she believes that private collections should not be treated the same as commercial premises.

READ MORE>>> Measures in place as new outbreak of bird flu confirmed in Maldon district

She told them: "It was stressful for us, stressful for the birds and especially stressful for the ones that we could save because obviously they could see what was happening."

She added: "There is nothing in the guidance for private collections, it's all for commercial premises and this needs to be changed.

"Something needs to be written up, for private collections with endangered species, so that we're treated differently."

Anti-Bird flu measures have been in place in parts of Essex alongside Norfolk and Suffolk which means that owners must keep their birds inside.

A spokesperson for the APHA said: "We appreciate the distress this awful disease can have on bird keepers which is why we respond and act swiftly in all reported cases.

"The avian influenza prevention zone across the UK means that all bird keepers have a legal responsibility to implement stringent biosecurity measures to keep their own birds safe and limit further spread."