Bird flu suspected at Yorkshire's largest Black-headed Gull colony

An outbreak of bird flu (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; HPAI) is suspected at North Cave Wetlands in East Yorkshire

After a number of birds were found dead, staff at the reserve said they had "never seen mortality this high before". Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT), which runs the site, said samples from the dead Black-headed Gulls had been submitted for testing.

Black-headed Gull has been particularly badly affected by the virus so far this spring, with severe outbreaks noted at numerous large colonies across Britain, including those at Rutland Water Nature Reserve, Burton Mere Wetlands in Cheshire and Stanwick Lakes in Northamptonshire to name just a few, where hundreds of dead birds have been observed.

North Cave Wetlands is home to Yorkshire's largest Black-headed Gull colony (Joe Seymour).

YWT said it was monitoring the situation and there were no plans to shut its reserves to the public. A spokesperson said the deaths had left colleagues and visitors "distressed to see the impact this terrible disease has likely had on the gull colony".

"If confirmed, this will be the most significant outbreak on a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve," YWT said. "We are also investigating and responding to other potential cases on our reserves across the region, including Potteric Carr.

"This disease will have an impact on a species that has seen population numbers decline in recent years, and at a crucial time of year when the gulls should be raising young. At North Cave Wetlands, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust provides critical habitat for Yorkshire's largest Black-headed Gull colony, which has grown in the last decade."