Owl Pellets
ARodger (TSS)
Hi all,
I recently had an enquiry from one of our schools regarding the use of owl pellets whilst there is an ongoing bird flu epidemic. Annie McRobbie gave me some very helpful advice that I thought I’d share –
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been detected in various locations around Scotland – usually in isolated cases. This has resulted in Avian Influenza Protection Zones being declared in various places – but these have all now been lifted in Scotland.
Cases have been found in owls, who may pick the virus up from mice, etc, that might feed in poultry units (potentially carrying the virus on their fur). Owl pellets are often collected from nesting/roosting sites and the virus can be passed out in their faeces onto their nesting material and surrounding soil, etc. surviving for up to 8 weeks.
This, in theory, does present a risk to the person collecting the owl pellets and handling them prior to autoclaving. The risk to humans is generally considered very low and is usually the result of direct contact with an infected bird, their faeces or bedding.
If collecting owl pellets, excellent standards of hygiene should always be adhered to since salmonella poses a risk at all times anyway. Given the incidence of bird flu currently in Scotland, providing gloves are worn during collection and the owl pellets are directly transferred to the container used for autoclaving, the risk should be minimal. Autoclaving will destroy the organisms responsible for disease.
A final point to consider is that, while owls do not have a rigidly defined breeding season, typically this will fall between March and August, and it is illegal to disturb their breeding site during their breeding season, according to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (without a licence).
Amanda Rodger
Lead Officer (North East Area)
Technician Support Service
c/o Glasgow Gaelic School
147 Berkeley Street
G3 7HP
Telephone: 0141 276 8550
Email: aro...@tss.ea.glasgow.sch.uk
Website: www.tssglasgow.org
@TSS_Technicians
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Frances Walsh
Lots of good info there, thank you. To be honest it was always our standard practice to autoclave them in foil parcels before use. We were lucky enough to have a colleague whose husband worked for the rspb and brought us safely collected ones.
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Mr Cooper
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Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2023 8:04:45 AM
Hi all,