The government and various animal charities are taking extra precautions due to concerns about the rising bird flu (avian flu) numbers in the UK.

There have been thousands of confirmed cases across the UK in the last few weeks and though there have been none so far in the Isle of Man and no cases have ever been confirmed in the island, the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture has issued guidance around dealing with birds.

Manx Wild Bird Aid has advised people not to bring sick or injured birds to them without phoning them beforehand so they can ask about the species and the symptoms and assess the risk it may pose.

In a statement online, the charity said: ’We cannot risk a bird with avian influenza being brought to us and infecting our other birds. We will still help all birds, but we will take extra precautions.

’It primarily infects waterfowl such as ducks, geese and swans; shorebirds, such as waders or gulls; birds of prey; poultry, such as chickens; and game birds, such as pheasants. It’s very rare for bird flu to infect humans, but it is an extremely serious disease in birds.’

There is very low food safety risk for people cooking poultry and poultry products, including eggs, according to the UK government.

Many captive birds across the UK are being culled after contracting the disease, most of these being poultry bred for the food industry and gamebirds for shooting, but also birds in wildlife rescue centres.

David Cole, of Manx Wild Bird Aid, said: ’We had a couple of birds, a swan and a duck, who exhibited some signs of bird flu so we checked with DEFA just to make sure and their vet came out and checked them over.

’Anyone who’s got birds at home, or poultry, can’t go near our hospital unit, that’s the biggest impact on us.

’If it’s a sick bird we don’t automatically pick it up and take it to any of our facilities, we may have to leave it and contact DEFA. They’re more concerned about it spreading to poultry and the like in the island, that’s their primary concern, not really wild birds.

’Anything that’s sick we will check out before taking it to any of our facilities to avoid cross-infection.’

To spot bird flu, it’s advised to look out for closed and excessively watery eyes, a swollen head, lethargy and depression, unresponsiveness, incoordination and loss of balance, head and body tremoring, and drooping of the wings, among other symptoms.

Mr Cole explained the risk currently posed to the Isle of Man.

He said: ’It’s endemic in the UK, so there’s a possibility at any stage that a wild bird could bring it onto the island and there’s a list of birds that carry the disease, particularly swans and ducks. They could fly over from the UK and bring it that way.

’It’s very contagious so we’ve been wearing responsible clothing and things like that to protect us when we’re going into our facilities just to make sure it doesn’t spread.’

According to the department, the risk level to the island is considered to be equivalent to that of Great Britain. DEFA has advised that a number of biosecurity measures should be followed to help people protect the island’s birds.

Some of these measures include to keep free-ranging birds in fenced areas to minimise contact with other birds, inspect outdoor areas, and to remove wild bird contaminants.