213 serum samples from free flying birds representing 5 species showed varying levels of haemagglutination inhibiting antibodies to Newcastle disease virus. A total of 213 living and 87 dead birds representing 6 species of wild birds were subjected to isolation of Newcastle disease virus. 6 strains were recovered from both living and dead birds. in vivo characterization of the isolates revealed that 4 of them were of low pathogenicity, one of moderate pathogenicity and one was highly pathogenic as measured by pathogenicity to chicken embryos, day old chicks, 6-week-old chicks and pigeon squabs.