The parrot, imported from Suriname, was part of a batch of 148 birds that arrived on September 16th. They were held with another group of birds from Taiwan.
The H5N1 strain has killed more than 60 people in four Asian countries since breaking out in late 2003. The virus is spread by migrating wild birds and has recently been found in birds in Russia, Turkey and Romania, spurring efforts around the globe to contain its spread.
Britain's agricultural minister said the virus was most closely matched to a strain found in ducks in China earlier this year but was not very similar to strains discovered in Romania and Turkey. The genetic makeup of the virus changes slightly as it spreads, and scientists use such tests to track its migration across the world. It was Britain's first confirmed case of bird flu since 1992.
