Deadly H5 bird flu found in local Australian seabird for first time

Deadly H5 bird flu found in local Australian seabird for first time

The H5 strain of bird flu has been detected in a native Australian seabird for the first time, marking what experts describe as a paradigm shift in the disease's arrival in the country. A greater crested tern, a common coastal bird, tested positive for the virus after being found dead by a member of the public on Tuesday, July 8, 2026, at Robe Marina on South Australia’s Limestone Coast.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins announced Friday, July 10, 2026, that lab testing by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) confirmed the infection. This discovery follows 11 previous detections in Australia since June, all of which involved migratory birds from the sub-Antarctic region, primarily giant petrels. The total number of confirmed detections now stands at 12, including two additional cases in South Australia and one in Western Australia.

Shift to Local Transmission

Until this case, the virus had been limited to migratory species. Chris Purnell, the wetland and migratory shorebird program manager at BirdLife Australia, stated that earlier detections were like little spot fires, but the infection of a resident species suggests transmission has occurred on or near Australian beaches. Purnell identified this as a local transmission point.

The risk of further spread is heightened by the behavior of greater crested terns, which Purnell noted live in large mixed flocks with other species. BirdLife Australia expressed particular concern for the vulnerable eastern hooded plover, whose populations live near where the tern was found. Purnell added that terns globally have been heavily affected; in France, hundreds or potentially thousands of sandwich terns died within days of initial reports.

Jack Gough, chief executive of the Invasive Species Council, warned that this is a very serious moment because it is the first time local transmission has been seen rather than sick pelagic seabirds arriving from the Southern Ocean. Gough expressed concern that persistent spread could lead to the virus appearing across the entire continent.

Pathways of Infection

Scientists are currently investigating the pathway of the infection. Minister Collins noted that the greater crested tern has an overlapping coastal range with the migratory seabirds that previously tested positive for H5.

Skye Fruean, chief veterinary officer at South Australia's Department of Primary Industries and Regions, said it is possible the bird contracted the virus through interaction with migratory birds from Antarctic regions, either onshore or while feeding on fish at sea.

The arrival of the virus follows a devastating outbreak in late 2025 on the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands, an Australian external territory. Scientists reported in June that the H5 strain killed more than 13,000 elephant seal pups in a breeding colony there.

Government Response and Surveillance

The South Australian government is leading the response, implementing enhanced surveillance in the area where the tern was discovered. This follows a recent aerial survey of the state's coastline, islands, and reefs—the largest in 40 years—which the government stated found no widespread evidence of sick or dead seabirds or seals.

Minister Collins emphasized that there is currently no evidence of mass mortality among wildlife, no spread to agricultural settings or poultry, and a low risk to human health. She described the discovery as not unexpected and a sign that the biosecurity system is working.

To support these efforts, the Australian Government has committed more than $113 million, with South Australia allocating $3.5 million for preparedness and response activities.

Additional Concerns and Precautions

In New South Wales, authorities are conducting precautionary testing on a young fur seal that died on Thursday, July 10, 2026, after being found unwell at Blue Bay on the Central Coast. While juvenile seals are often found sick or injured in the area, tens of thousands of sea lions and fur seals have died from H5 bird flu globally.

Local advocates have raised concerns regarding public communication. Maureen Christie, public officer for Friends of Shorebirds SE, stated she was exceedingly worried that local beaches lack signs instructing the public on how to handle sick birds, unlike previous outbreaks of abalone viral ganglioneuritis and algal blooms in 2024 and 2025.

Authorities continue to urge the public not to touch sick or dead animals and to report sightings to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline. The Department of Primary Industries and Regions is continuing its investigation to determine if the tern's infection shares the same sequence as the migratory birds.