Australia to vaccinate vulnerable native birds against bird flu

Australia plans to commence vaccinating its vulnerable native bird species against the lethal H5N1 bird flu virus, following its detection in the country in June, government officials announced on Tuesday. The nation's agriculture minister, Julie Collins, stated that the vaccine rollout will commence in the coming days and weeks, with a primary focus on priority species in captivity.

These priority species will be selected based on their susceptibility to the H5 bird flu and the potential impact on conservation. Collins emphasized that while Australia cannot halt the spread of H5 bird flu among wild birds, vaccinating high-risk species is a crucial part of the response strategy. This decision comes in the wake of New Zealand's July decision to initiate a vaccination program for 300 core breeding birds from five of its most endangered species.

Notably, approximately 45% of Australia's roughly 850 bird species are endemic, meaning they are unique to the continent and found nowhere else on Earth. The country recently reported its first mass seabird deaths from avian influenza, signaling a worsening situation for an outbreak that initially began after the virus was detected in migratory seabirds and subsequently spread to native species last month.

Australia was the last continent to confirm a bird flu outbreak, though the virus was first spotted on the sub-Antarctic territory of Heard Island in late 2025.