Guidance

Bird gatherings: contingency plan for notifiable avian disease

Organisers of bird gatherings must have a written contingency plan outlining what to do if there is suspicion or confirmation of notifiable avian disease at or near the gathering.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 1 May 2026

Applies to England

The organiser and licensee of any bird gathering (poultry or other captive birds) must have a written contingency plan.

This sets out arrangements for what will happen if there is suspicion or confirmation of a notifiable avian disease at the gathering.

Having a contingency plan is a condition of both:

• the general licences for bird gatherings
• a specific licence for a bird gathering

The plan must be specific to each gathering.

What the contingency plan must include

All contingency plans must cover how you will:

• separate birds suspected of notifiable avian disease (bird flu or Newcastle disease) from other birds at the gathering
• manage birds, equipment and vehicles used to transport birds when notifiable avian disease is suspected, until an APHA veterinary inspector gives instructions
• manage restrictions if the gathering becomes located in an avian notifiable disease control zone
• inform participants of any restrictions if disease is suspected, confirmed or a disease control zone is declared

If you are applying for a specific licence for a bird gathering, your plan must also include:

• a written declaration and signature confirming the plan has been discussed with and approved by a vet
• a vet’s signature confirming the vet approves the plan as suitable for the purposes of planning what will happen if there is suspicion or confirmation of a notifiable avian disease at or near to the gathering

Contingency plan template

You can use this template to help prepare your contingency plan.

Contingency plan template

ODT, 12.3 KB

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Published 1 May 2026