Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson says backyard hen owners should enhance their biosecurity efforts to protect their chickens from H5 bird flu. Photo: Australian Veterinary Association.
The threat to native wildlife and domestic animals from H5 bird flu is increasing, with CSIRO tests confirming a mass bird fatality in Australia.
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said there were now 74 confirmed bird flu cases in Australia: 54 in SA, 10 in Western Australia, seven in Victoria, two in NSW and one in Queensland.
That includes a flock of dead greater crested terns, a wild bird species, in South Australia, detected by aerial surveillance. CSIRO testing has confirmed the disease.
There were 49 dead terns and 35 unwell.
The minister said it was unexpected and that it is Australia’s first mass-mortality case.
Greater crested terns and silver gulls are currently the most vulnerable birds.
“Sadly, we do know that once the H5 bird flu is spreading in wildlife and the natural environment, it is not possible to avoid significant losses, which is what we’re starting to see now,” Ms Collins said.
“There will be ongoing surveillance which will continue to determine whether the H5 bird flu is established more broadly in Australian wildlife, and we’ll continue to inform the public where the H5 bird flu has been detected.”
She said there is no evidence that the disease can be eradicated if it enters Australia via wild birds.
“We do know that when birds come to nest together, that we will see an increased number of infections because it is a highly contagious disease,” Ms Collins said.
“We have been testing through our state and territory jurisdictions leading the responses, a lot of different types of birds that will continue.
“We could predict that as we see more infection and more spread that we may see other species affected as well. But at this point we haven’t seen that.”
The minister said to date there has been no detection of the bird flu strain among Australia’s poultry.
Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson, however, said even backyard hen owners should enhance their biosecurity efforts and minimise contact between their chickens and wild birds.
They should also quarantine new hens before introducing them to their flocks.
“Stopping that mingling, including contamination potentially of food and water sources and also making sure that there’s good hygiene when handling birds, washing hands in between the like,” she said.
Dr Cookson also said it was inevitable that infected migratory birds will be found along Australia’s shoreline.
“It’s like clockwork every year for some of those species and where they congregate in numbers, mixed with other bird species in Australia which may already be infected, there is absolutely increased risk of transmission, and further mortality events,” she said.
Environment Minister Murray Watt said there were grave concerns for Australia’s native wildlife.
“I want to level with people – this is the beginning of what is likely to be a long, difficult journey in terms of the impacts on wildlife,” he said.
“The overseas experience has shown that we can’t stop the spread of H5 bird flu among birds or among mammals.
“The reality is, you can’t stop native and wild birds flying around, and you can’t stop wild animals moving around, and that will mean more mass mortality events like the one we have now seen.
“What we can do, and what we have been doing, is build up the resilience of the populations of our native birds and mammals.”
The Federal Government has activated the national management plan for the latest bird flu strain and released $24 million to the effort.
Ms Collins wouldn’t put a dollar figure on the impact H5 bird flu could have on the agriculture sector, but referenced the H7 bird flu outbreak in 2024-25, saying that cost the poultry sector alone $110 million.
To learn more about bird flu biosecurity, visit Agriculture.
