Wild Birds and Hunter Guidelines

Advice when handing dead wild birds

Wild birds can carry several diseases that are infectious to people. Members of the public should not handle dead wild birds unless necessary to do so.

If people feel it necessary to handle dead wild birds, they should follow the instructions set out below which, essentially, mean taking simple hygienic precautions:

• preferably, wear disposable protective gloves (not latex) when handling the dead bird;
• alternatively, use reusable rubber gloves that are capable of being cleaned and disinfected immediately after use;
• place the dead bird in a suitable leak proof plastic bag and avoid contamination of the outside of the bag;
• seal the bag and place it in a second plastic bag with which the dead bird should have no direct contact;
• remove the disposable gloves by turning them inside out and place them in the second bag or in a separate bag that should then be sealed and disposed of;
• if using reusable gloves, remove them by turning them inside out and placing them in a plastic bag that should then be sealed;
• before disposing of the dead bird, the outside of the second plastic should be washed with soap and water or disinfectant;
• reusable rubber gloves should be thoroughly washed, using soap and water, and disinfected (using an approved disinfectant) before being reused
• in all cases, hands, nails and forearms should be thoroughly washed with soap and water after the dead bird has been handled and bagged for disposal and

Under no circumstances should food be handled until this has been done.