Bird flu outbreak suspected at East Yorkshire nature reserve

The black-headed gull is on the Amber conservation list, meaning there is "moderate concern" over its decline in numbers

An outbreak of avian flu is suspected at a nature reserve after a number of birds were found dead.

Staff at the North Cave Wetlands in East Yorkshire 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.

The trust 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," the trust 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."

North Cave Wetlands is home to Yorkshire's largest black-headed gull colony

The black-headed gull is on the Amber conservation list, meaning there is "moderate concern" over its decline in numbers.

YWT said there were an estimated 140,000 breeding pairs in the UK and about 2.2m wintering birds each year.

The trust asked visitors to its reserves to not touch any dead birds and report any they find.

There have been a number of outbreaks of avian flu across East Yorkshire.

Earlier this month, restrictions were lifted allowing poultry and captive birds to be kept outside again.