The H5N1 virus is hitting the poultry industry hard again. Unfortunately, we, the owners of Racing Pigeons, are the first to feel the collateral damage.

As of today, there are three major hotspots where fanciers are currently grounded:

Flevoland (Creil): Since January 11, the polders around Creil have been under a strict 10 kilometer zone.
Limburg and Brabant: The triangle of Ysselsteyn, Deurne, and Venray remains a major concern. This was triggered by the outbreak in Weeze. Some restrictions here have been dragging on since December.
West Flanders: The outbreak in Wingene on January 10 and the ongoing pressure around Veurne are making life very difficult for the Belgian masters.

If you are in one of these zones, you know the drill. No birds in the air, no training tosses, and absolutely no basketting. It is a bitter pill to swallow, especially when your race team is looking as sharp as a tack.

Here is the translated overview of the current bird flu zones, formatted specifically for your international followers on PigeonBoss.com.

Overview of 10 kilometer Zones (Status: January 13, 2026)

Do you live in one of these areas? If so, you are currently not allowed to transport your pigeons.

Region	Outbreak or Location	Key towns in the zone
Netherlands	Creil (Noordoostpolder)	Creil, Rutten, Bant, Lemmer (south), Sondel.
Netherlands	Weeze and Venray	Venray (east), Well, Bergen, Afferden.
Netherlands	Deurne and Ysselsteyn	Deurne, Vlierden, Liessel, Ysselsteyn, Bakel.
Belgium	Wingene	Wingene, Zwevezele, Ruiselede, Tielt, Beernem.
Belgium	Alveringem and Veurne	Alveringem, Lo Reninge, Veurne, De Panne.
Germany	Kleve and NRW	Region around Kleve and Weeze (near Dortmund).

Important Note: The situation in West Flanders remains critical due to the merged zones between Alveringem and Veurne. Additionally, the Creil outbreak in the Netherlands is the most recent, meaning restrictions there will likely remain in place until at least mid February 2026.

The Dortmund Dilemma: Prestige versus Bureaucracy

In just three weeks, the International Racing Pigeon Fair is set to take place in Dortmund. This is the event we have known for decades as the Olympiade. But the road there is paved with hurdles this year.

The biggest pain point is transport. Due to national bans on the gathering of birds in both the Netherlands and Belgium, we are not allowed to pool our birds for collective transport to Germany.

The hard truth is this. If your bird is selected, you have to drive it yourself. Individually. Your champion in a single basket, all the way to Dortmund.

Then there is the cost. An official veterinary inspection at your home loft can easily cost 300 Euros. While some national federations are offering subsidies, it is still a massive financial and logistical burden for an honor that should be a collective celebration of our sport. And do not forget. If you live in a 10 kilometer zone like Creil or Wingene, it is game over. Your bird cannot leave the zone, no matter how many gold medals it has won.

Why We Are Not the Problem: BirdFlu Facts

It is high time the authorities stopped lumping us in with the commercial poultry industry. The FCI has recently presented solid data regarding the current BirdFlu strain:

Racing Pigeons are an epidemiological dead end. They rarely fall ill from the current H5N1 strain.
Even if exposed, our pigeons shed almost no virus. We do not infect each other, and we certainly are not infecting the commercial chicken farms.

This is a message we, as the PigeonBoss community, need to keep shouting. Our sport is about individual athletes, not mass production.

What Can We Do Right Now?

We will not let this break our spirit. Use this time to tighten your loft biosecurity:

Water and Feed: Never provide water that has been sitting outside or rainwater from the gutters. That is the fastest route for contamination from wild birds.
Monitor the Maps: Keep a daily eye on the official government viewers. Zones can be lifted as quickly as they appear. For example, some zones in Limburg are scheduled for review on January 21.

Pigeon racing is a sport of endurance. We have weathered worse storms, and our champions will shine again. Whether that is in the local polder or on the world stage in Dortmund.

Stay strong, fanciers.

Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss