If you encounter what you think is a diseased bird, start by making sure that your hygiene measures are up to date. Thoroughly disinfect your feeders and bird table and consider moving the site at which you feed, to reduce the risk of contamination.

One often-asked question is whether to cease feeding altogether. If, by ceasing feeding, the birds are likely to disperse to feed at lower densities on naturally occurring foods in the local environment then it may be sensible to cease feeding for a short period. If the birds are dependent on the food being supplied or if, by ceasing feeding, they may be forced to a more problematic feeding station nearby, it is best to continue feeding – especially if you are confident in your hygiene practices.

Treatment is rarely an appropriate option. A bird that is so sick that it can actually be caught by hand may require euthanasia to prevent further suffering. Although wild birds are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, there is provision within the act to allow the euthanasia, by a humane method, of wild birds that are moribund.

Euthanasia can be carried out by a veterinary surgeon through the administration of an overdose of anaesthetic. In emergencies, garden birds can be euthanased by a strong and wholly committed blow to the back of the head with a suitably hard and heavy implement. Death must be confirmed by the absence of breathing and absence of a blink reflex when the surface of the eye is touched.

Post mortem examination of a carcass by a veterinarian is usually needed to confirm the disease involved. A number of veterinary surgeons are working through the Garden Bird Health initiative to help increase our understanding of diseases in wild birds by carrying out post mortems on birds found dead. If you see signs of disease or find a dead bird in your garden, please call 0207 449 6685.