A bit index explicit replication (BIER) operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) detection method includes a bit forwarding ingress router (BFIR) obtaining a detection request packet based on a first BIER OAM packet, and sending the detection request packet to at least one bit forwarding egress router BFER. The detection request packet includes a first packet and a first packet header. The first packet is a packet obtained by encapsulating the first BIER OAM packet. The first packet header includes a bit string, and the bit string indicates the at least one bit forwarding egress router BFER that is to be measured.