County Down’s Castle Espie wildlife centre is phasing out its captive bird collection by November 2026, driven by avian flu controls, post-Brexit transport barriers, and rising operational costs. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust confirmed that remaining birds are being relocated while guided school tours end.
Avian Flu and Post-Brexit Transport Hurdles at Castle Espie
Avian influenza pressures and regulatory complications following the UK’s departure from the European Union have forced a major contraction at the County Down wildlife site. Director of Operations Alex Lane noted that the sanctuary once maintained a captive population of roughly 500 birds, but those numbers have fallen below 100.
Maintaining the collection became unsustainable as disease controls and cross-border rules tightened. WWT records that Castle Espie temporarily closed after highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed in a small number of captive birds. Both the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have been contacted for comment.
Regulatory hurdles compounded the biosecurity challenges.
There is no aligned system for bringing birds into Ireland from mainland UK.
Alex Lane, Director of Operations at Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT)
Every transfer now demands export health certificates and physical inspections upon arrival in Northern Ireland. When combined with avian flu restrictions, routine relocations turned into complex logistical hurdles that made maintaining a large captive display impractical. Maintaining a captive bird collection has grown increasingly complex, while the cost of running a small guided-tour programme became unsustainable.
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Budget Pressures and Educational Changes
The bird relocations form one component of a wider financial restructuring across the charity. Rising operational costs and income challenges have left the organization managing a sizeable deficit, prompting wider WWT cost-cutting measures.
Financial strain is also altering how local students experience the sanctuary. Castle Espie is shutting down its guided school tour program, as too few institutions book the instructor-led sessions to cover expenses.
Elected officials have pushed back against the reduction in educational access. SDLP MLA Cara Hunter termed the loss of guided tours disappointing and warned it might reduce access for schools with limited resources.
Despite the cancellation of guided tours, leadership confirmed that they will continue to welcome self-guided school visits.
Transition to Wetland Nature Conservation
During October 2026, WWT is moving the remaining birds to other sites within its network, with the complete transfer expected to finish by November 2026. From November onwards, all captive birds at Castle Espie will be transferred to other WWT sites across the UK. The shift repositions the County Down attraction as a hub for wetland nature conservation rather than a site built around a large captive collection.
Removing the captive birds opens more space for wild birds and supports the sanctuary’s revised conservation focus.