Thursday, 9 July 2026
Eight birds have now tested positive for H5 bird flu in Australia. Here’s what that means for birds and humans, and how you can help.
Everything you need to know about H5 bird flu:
Avian influenza viruses occur naturally in wild birds and poultry. These viruses are classified into either low or highly pathogenic strains, depending on their ability to cause disease and death.
Avian influenza – commonly known as bird flu – is a highly contagious, viral disease caused by specific strains of Influenza A viruses. H5 bird flu is a subtype of avian influenza.
Most avian influenza viruses are low pathogenic and don’t cause disease, and many birds carry Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (LPAI) without any symptoms.
But in 1996, the first highly pathogenic strain of H5 avian influenza was detected in farmed geese in Southern China. The virus spread rapidly among wild and domesticated birds and eventually jumped to other animals – including humans – before the outbreak was contained.
Then, in 2020, a new strain of the virus emerged.
Unprecedented in speed and scale, it could spread faster and across more species than other variants. The virus soon swept across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, causing a global animal pandemic, or panzootic, that has devastated wildlife populations worldwide and caused mass mortalities in wild birds and poultry.
Now the dominant strain found in bird populations worldwide, Australia was the last remaining continent without the virus – until now.
As it spreads across the globe, this deadly strain of avian influenza is causing an animal pandemic, or panzootic – infecting a wide range of bird and animal species, including mammals.
Infected birds can shed the virus through their saliva, mucus and faeces. It can be transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids or infected animals, while predators and scavengers can contract the virus by eating infected prey. It can also spread indirectly, through exposure to contaminated environments like water, mud and sand, or surfaces like clothing, vehicles and shoes. It can also spread by breathing in contaminated dust or air.
In the right conditions, the virus can survive in the environment for months. Long-lived in water and at low temperatures, the virus quickly spread to migratory birds like ducks, seabirds and shorebirds – which carried it over vast distances across the globe. Many suspected the virus would eventually enter Australia from the north, carried by migratory shorebirds on their annual return home to Australian shores.
Eventually, H5N1 bird flu made it as far as Antarctica. In October last year, the deadly strain was detected in the remote sub-Antarctic on Heard Island, where it has been recorded in penguins, seals and petrels. Tragically, the virus has now killed more than 13,000 southern elephant seal pups on Heard Island alone, as well as high numbers of Gentoo and King Penguins.
Australian cases to date: Western Australia: 4 confirmed cases, 1 presumed positive South Australia: 2 confirmed cases New South Wales: 1 confirmed case
Australian cases to date:
On 14 June, a Brown Skua was found washed up on a remote beach at Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperence, about 700 kilometres south-east of Perth. Days later and just a few kilometres away, a Giant Petrel was discovered on a nearby beach and taken into care.
Both are migratory, scavenging seabird species that nest on sub-Antarctic islands. In the winter months, they roam the Southern Ocean in search of food, sometimes venturing into Australian waters. These are pelagic species – seabirds of the deep ocean that spend much of their lives at sea. Unless stranded or sick, they rarely come ashore.
Both birds were tested for H5 bird flu and returned initial positive test results – later confirmed by CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness as the first detections of the virus in Australia. Days later, Australia’s third and fourth cases were confirmed when two more Giant-Petrels tested positive for the virus – one from a beach on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, and the other from Quindalup on the south-west coast of Western Australia.
On 4 July, a Giant-Petrel found on NSW’s Mid North Coast also tested positive for H5 bird flu, in the first confirmed case on Australia’s east coast. On 6 July, authorities announced that a dead Giant-Petrel found in the Perth North Metropolitan Area was presumed positive – with researchers unable to sequence the virus to confirm its strain. And on 8 July, a Giant-Petrel found on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula returned a positive result.
The species of these Giant-Petrels – whether Northern or Southern – is still unconfirmed.
The H5N1 strain has now been detected on mainland Australia. These first confirmed cases are considered an incursion, or emergence, of the virus – but we don’t yet know if these are isolated cases or the start of an outbreak.
Right now, there’s a moderate to high risk that a wild outbreak will eventually occur in Australia, but the coming weeks should reveal if the virus has become established and spread to other birds and mammals.
If that happens, the consequences could be devastating.
Our unique wildlife has evolved in isolation for millions of years, and with so many endemic Australian species found nowhere else on earth, we don’t yet know how H5 bird flu might impact our native birds and mammals. Once infected with H5 bird flu, wildlife showing signs of illness will generally die within a few days of becoming sick. While we can limit the spread, we can’t eradicate the virus if it becomes established in Australian wildlife populations.
Globally, the virus has infected more than 560 bird species and more than 100 mammal species – including marine and land mammals. Birds are both vectors and victims of the disease, which has killed millions of wild birds and caused significant population declines in some species including California Condors, Great Skuas, Sandwich Terns and Peruvian Pelicans.
All bird species are thought to be susceptible to this strain, but birds associated with water that flock together are at a higher risk of transmission. The virus can spread rapidly through high-density bird populations like commercial poultry farms and breeding colonies, and waterbirds, shorebirds and seabirds including gannets, terns and pelicans are especially vulnerable.
Genetic testing has revealed that Black Swans have no natural defence against H5 bird flu, but with no natural immunity, most Australian waterbirds could be just as susceptible to the virus. H5 bird flu could push already threatened species closer to extinction. For Critically Endangered birds like the Orange-bellied Parrot, even a few deaths could jeopardise the future survival of the species.
There are also fears the virus could spread to pets, or to threatened mammals like Tasmanian Devils and Australian Sea Lions.
H5 bird flu has decimated global poultry industries. Millions of farmed birds have been killed to contain the virus and egg prices have skyrocketed, disrupting global supply chains. In poultry, the virus is highly pathogenic and will kill most infected birds. Farm workers are on high alert for commercial detection of H5 bird flu, and Australia’s largest poultry producer announced a complete lockdown of its farms in WA – despite no detection of the virus in poultry or mainland wildlife.
There is a small but very real risk that this H5 bird flu strain could mutate, allowing it to be passed between people. While H5N1 is considered a potential human pandemic threat, infections in people are rare and the virus can’t currently spread easily to, or between, humans. Globally, almost all reported human cases are farm workers who have been in close contact with infected farm animals, with each outbreak limited to a few people. Bird flu infections in people are often mild, but potentially dangerous – and can cause illness or, in very rare cases, death. Symptoms in people can include fever, cough, sore throat, conjunctivitis and muscle aches and pains.
Right now, the risk to human health in Australia is classified as low. However, people who work with commercial poultry or are in close contact with sick birds or mammals are at the highest risk of catching avian influenza – which is why you should always avoid touching sick or dead animals. There is no risk of contracting the virus by eating eggs and meat that have been properly prepared.
The first confirmed cases of H5 bird flu in Australia have triggered a national biosecurity response, and right now, testing and monitoring is underway to determine the extent of the virus and whether the disease has spread to other local wildlife. And with wild weather forecast, we could see more beached birds – and potential cases – along Australia’s southern coastline.
An expert wildlife advisory group – including BirdLife Australia representatives – has been established to trace the spread of the disease, focusing on the movements and location of infected birds.
Unlike other countries, Australia has had time to plan and prepare for a potential outbreak of H5 bird flu.
The Federal Government is coordinating this emergency response, collaborating with states, industry, scientists and wildlife health and environment groups including BirdLife Australia. So far, the Federal Government has invested more than $100 million into preparing for the arrival of the virus, supporting early detection and rapid response to an Australian outbreak.
A dedicated national taskforce was established in 2024 to strengthen national surveillance and Australia’s ability to prepare and respond to H5 bird flu. In 2025, AviFluMap was also released – an interactive online tool that tracks bird movements and global outbreaks. Led by Wildlife Health Australia (WHA) and developed by Deakin University in collaboration with BirdLife Australia, this mapping tool is designed to help governments, land managers and wildlife health and biosecurity experts assess and respond to the risk of H5 bird flu as it evolves. AviFluMap also models the potential impact of the virus on local bird populations, helping predict which Australian bird species are most at risk.
Vaccines for avian influenza aren’t approved for general use in Australia, including in domestic poultry. While vaccines for this specific strain are still being developed – including for humans – the Federal Government is trialling an H5 bird flu vaccine in small Australian bird species. If approved, this vaccine could be used to protect at-risk wildlife in the event of an outbreak, including in captive-bred and priority threatened bird populations. However, mass vaccination of wild bird populations in Australia isn’t considered practical or feasible.
BirdLife Australia continues to share data and expert knowledge with government and wildlife authorities to help them plan and prepare, while our staff and volunteers are helping expand surveillance of wild bird populations across the country.
While we welcome the government’s investment in H5N1 Avian Influenza Preparedness, experts and environment groups are calling for more funding to protect wildlife.
Alongside Invasive Species Council, the Biodiversity Council, Australian Land Conservation Alliance, the Australian Marine Conservation Society and the Greens, BirdLife Australia is calling for an additional $200 million in emergency funding over the next two years to boost wildlife resilience.
Human, animal and environmental health are interconnected, and healthy wildlife and habitats are the best defence we have against H5 bird flu. Stressed birds are more likely to catch and spread disease, and reducing the pressure on already struggling bird populations helps boost their resilience to a potential outbreak. Investing in habitat protection and restoration, invasive species control and recovery programs will help protect people, wildlife and the environment from the virus.
H5 Bird Flu is classified as an Emergency Animal Disease: a disease of national significance. A wildlife emergency requires emergency funding, but just 0.06% was allocated to on-ground nature conservation in this year’s federal budget. If the Federal Government is serious about its commitment to no new extinctions, it must urgently invest in a coordinated national response to ensure conservation and wildlife rehabilitation organisations, scientists and governments have the resources they need to respond to H5 bird flu.
Top tips: Be prepared, not scared Learn the signs Remember: Avoid, record, report Support our work
Top tips:
We all have a role to play in preparing for H5 bird flu.
Right now, vigilance is key – and by learning the signs and symptoms of H5 bird flu, you can be our eyes and ears and help us monitor and prepare for potential outbreaks.
Be prepared, not scared. Look for any unusual behaviour in wild and domestic birds, including difficulty breathing, standing, walking or flying. Abnormal posture, discharge from the eyes and nose, diarrhoea or poor coordination are also symptoms of H5 bird flu.
Keep an eye out for any dead or dying birds – especially seabirds, waterbirds, shorebirds or birds of prey.
Numerous dead birds (5 or more) in one location could be a sign that H5 bird flu has infected local populations and should always be reported.
To avoid transmission and limit the spread, please avoid contact with any dead or sick birds or animals showing signs of bird flu. If you see a bird with suspected symptoms, keep your distance – do not touch or take sick or dying animals into your care, and keep dogs away from any carcasses.
If you see any sick, dead or dying birds, please make note of:
Record photos and/or videos from a safe distance to include in your report.
Please report any unusual signs or suspected cases ASAP to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline at 1800 675 888. Save this number in your phone just in case.
Reporting will alert authorities to investigate and potentially test for H5 bird flu, and helps us better understand and manage the disease.
If you find a sick or injured bird that isn’t showing signs of H5 bird flu, please contact your local wildlife shelter or a registered carer or rescuer for help.
By donating to BirdLife Australia’s emergency H5 bird flu fundraising appeal, you can support our work helping protect and recover wild bird populations.
The virus poses a long-term threat to species that are already under pressure and in decline, which is why it’s so important that we build healthy, resilient bird populations.
As Australia’s largest bird conservation charity, BirdLife Australia is working to:
Donations over $2 are tax-deductible, and every dollar makes a difference.
Updated on 9 July
Everything you need to know if you suspect a wild bird may be infected with H5 bird flu.
Urgent action to protect Australian birds ‘more important than ever’ following arrival of H5 bird flu
H5 bird flu (H5N1 Avian Influenza) Information Hub
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