All bird keepers in Northern Ireland are required to keep their birds indoors from Monday.

The order from the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (Deara) is designed to stop the spread of bird flu.

It requires owners of pet birds, commercial flocks, backyard flocks, and hobby flocks to keep their birds indoors or otherwise separate from wild birds.

On Saturday, Daera said about 64,000 birds were to be culled in County Tyrone after suspected avian flu was reported at a commercial poultry premises.

The decision to keep birds indoors was made before this.

A ban has also been implemented on certain bird gatherings.

Announcing the measures, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir said that Northern Ireland “relies heavily on the agri-food industry as a source of employment”.

“Poultry and egg production contributes significantly to the economy, valued at over £600 million, and it is vital that we do all we can to support industry efforts to keep [bird flu] out.”

Muir welcomed that similar measures were also being introduced in the Republic of Ireland.

“This will help ensure industry across both jurisdictions are protected as much as possible,” he said.

Chief veterinary officer for NI Brian Dooher said he expected the order to be in place for up to eight weeks.

“I am urging all flock keepers to please take action now to improve biosecurity so as to reduce the risk of transmission of avian influenza to poultry or other captive birds,” he added.

A biosecurity checklist is available on the Daera website.

The order followed a preliminary positive result for bird flu in a small number of captive birds at a nature reserve outside Magherafelt.

Following the tests, the premises in County Londonderry was closed to the public, and a number of restrictions were put in place around the site, including the humane culling of the remaining captive birds.

Bird flu restrictions in Northern Ireland were eased in April 2023, following an outbreak which began in October 2021. It was described as the largest ever in these islands.

However, strict biosecurity protocols have remained in place.

In December 2024, the highly contagious virus was detected in a dead wild buzzard found in County Galway.

It was the first confirmed discovery on the island of Ireland since September 2023.

Following the report of suspected flu in County Tyrone at the weekend, Muir said the cull was a “precautionary measure”.