England’s bird keepers can let flocks back outside after the housing order lifted on 9 April, but the week ended with fresh H5N1 confirmations. On 14 April, highly pathogenic avian influenza was recorded at a third premises near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire and near Great Shelford in Cambridgeshire, each now under a 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone, with humane culling on site. (gov.uk)

Those detections followed an 11 April case near Market Rasen, also in Lincolnshire, reinforcing why free‑range does not mean risk‑free. Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) continue to advise strict separation from wild birds and scrupulous site hygiene, even as birds return to range. (gov.uk)

Across the 2025–26 outbreak season so far, the UK has confirmed 99 HPAI H5N1 incidents in kept birds: 78 in England, nine in Scotland, seven in Wales and five in Northern Ireland. The season runs from 1 October to 30 September, allowing year‑on‑year comparison with previous waves. (gov.uk)

Officials have kept the risk for wild birds at medium, meaning events occur regularly, while the risk of poultry exposure is assessed as low where good biosecurity is consistently applied and low-albeit with greater uncertainty-where standards slip. The UK Health Security Agency continues to rate the public health risk as very low. (gov.uk)

For producers, the message is steady vigilance. The housing requirement has gone, but mandatory biosecurity remains in force and movement may still need licensing inside control zones. Check your exact status on the Defra disease‑zone map before moving birds, eggs or by‑products, and maintain robust on‑farm hygiene now that outdoor access has resumed. (gov.uk)

Wildlife and access managers have a clear role this spring. Defra’s mitigation strategy for wild birds sets out how targeted signage, proportionate access management, carcass reporting thresholds and partnership working can reduce impacts on colonies while protecting public health and the rural economy. Use government posters on‑site when risk is present. (gov.uk)

Back‑garden bird feeders are part of the solution when done well. The British Trust for Ornithology recommends regular cleaning of feeders and water baths-weekly is a good benchmark-to cut disease transmission between visiting birds. Simple hygiene, alongside hand‑washing after wildlife contact, helps keep local populations healthy. (bto.org)

Spillover into mammals remains under close watch. Influenza of avian origin is notifiable in both wild and kept mammals, and findings are tracked via official reporting and interactive maps. Suspicions or detections of influenza A in mammals must be reported immediately through the published channels-this is a legal duty. (gov.uk)

Normal community life around birds is possible with precautions. Gatherings are permitted for some species under a general licence, while galliformes, anseriformes and ratites require a specific licence; always check you are outside any control zone before planning events. Routine vaccination of poultry is not allowed in England; only eligible zoo birds can be vaccinated with APHA authorisation. (gov.uk)

For households, land managers and keepers alike, the path forward is practical: keep up biosecurity, use the official maps and weekly APHA updates to stay informed, and report dead wild birds through the government service. Properly cooked poultry and eggs remain safe to eat, but the environmental picture still calls for care as colonies recover. (gov.uk)