A deadly strain of avian influenza, H5N1, that has killed millions of wild and domestic birds and mammals across the globe, has for the first time reached Australia’s shores.
Australian authorities confirmed that two migratory seabirds, a brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus) and a northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli), have both tested positive for H5N1, a strain of what’s officially known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The sick birds were discovered along the southern coast of Western Australia. They have since died.
Both the brown skua and giant petrel breed in the subantarctic regions and migrate to northern, warmer waters, including those around Australia, during the harsh polar winter.
Bird flu is caused by a highly contagious virus that has now infected animals on every continent. Sporadic human cases have also been recorded.
Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said in a press briefing that there is no evidence of mass mortality in Australian wildlife and that bird flu hasn’t as yet affected Australia’s poultry or livestock.
As of March 2026, the highly contagious H5N1 bird flu virus strain has infected more than 560 wild bird species and more than 100 species of mammals, according to the U.N.
“We can’t overstate how significant this moment is for Australian wildlife,” BirdLife Australia CEO Kate Millar said in a statement. “This virus has devastated wildlife populations overseas. This could be the beginning of a long fight to protect birds and wildlife in Australia.”
Avian influenza viruses are common in their natural hosts — ducks, geese, gulls, terns and swans. Most strains are mild, much like the common cold. But when bird flu “jumps” to domestic poultry, particularly flocks raised in industrial-scale conditions, it can mutate and spread back into wild birds as a lethal virus. H5N1 appeared in its present form in Europe in 2020 and quickly spread along migratory flyways. It can be contracted by contact with virus-containing feces or eating infected animals.
The federal government has pledged A$11.2 million ($7.8 million) to ramp up preparedness for Australia’s most at-risk native species. But BirdLife’s Millar said this isn’t enough to protect at-risk species “now that H5 bird flu is here”.
Jane Younger, senior lecturer at the University of Tasmania, wrote in The Conversation that the spread of H5N1 to Australia’s endemic birds, such as Tasmania’s shy albatross (Thalassarche cauta) and the orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster), could be disastrous. Transmission to ducks would also be concerning, as the birds can spread the virus through fresh water, Younger wrote.
Animals that scavenge, such as the iconic Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), could also be at risk, according to Jack Gough, advocacy director at the Invasive Species Council.
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) called for more funding for Australia’s veterinarians, who are at the frontlines of surveillance, diagnosis and confirmation of bird flu. “Readiness is not free,” said AVA president Dr. Diana Barker.
Banner image: A brown skua. Image by Antoine Lamielle via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
This story first appeared on Mongabay
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