TAIPEI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan has confirmed new outbreaks of bird flu at two farms in Changhua County, and culled more than 13,000 chickens and ducks, the island's animal and plant health inspection and quarantine bureau said on Saturday.

More than 6,000 chickens at a farm in Dacheng Township, Changhua County died several days ago, and were confirmed to be infected with the highly pathogenic H5N2 strain of avian influenza, which led to the slaughter of over 12,000 chickens.

Another farm in Changhua's Erlin Township was also confirmed to have the virus, with more than 1,300 ducks being culled.

That brings the total number of poultry farms hit by avian influenza to 12 so far this year, and the total number of fowls culled to 115,055, according to the bureau.

Taiwan is a common destination for migrating birds. Cases of avian flu generally peak during the cool season from January to April.