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Bird flu suspected after more than 1,000 birds found dead in SA, more deaths in Tasmania
The first wave of bird flu is the worst: what Australia can learn from overseas
Published: August 20, 2026 1:09am EDT
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The first wave of bird flu is the worst: what Australia can learn from overseas
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Hundreds of dead birds are now being reported as the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu begins to spread across Australia. Government reports show the virus is circulating in resident birds.
It was a long time coming. The current outbreak emerged in 2020. By late 2021, it was spreading widely, leaving a widespread trail of devastation among wildlife species across Europe and the Americas. Even as Antarctic birds and mammals began suffering over 2024 and 2025, Australia – and New Zealand – remained free of this viral strain. Until now.
It’s easy to picture bird flu as an unstoppable wave set to decimate Australian birds and mammals. But that’s not set in stone. Overseas evidence shows the first wave tends to be by far the worst. And deaths from the first wave can vary greatly, with many populations and individuals surviving.
That’s good news for some – but it won’t save vulnerable species who may lose a large proportion of their global population. For them, recovery is likely to take decades – if at all.
The first wave is devastating
In 1996, a new highly pathogenic strain of bird flu emerged in poultry in China. Periodic outbreaks forced mass poultry culls and sporadic die-offs in wild birds.
In 2020, a new variant – formally known as H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b – was detected. Soon, it was sweeping through Europe and North America.
It was immediately clear the virus had become more devastating.
Less dangerous strains of bird flu (termed low pathogenic avian influenza viruses) tend to replicate in a bird’s gastrointestinal tract, while earlier high pathogenic strains tended to replicate in the respiratory tract.
But this new strain could infect both. Not only that, it was able to infect the central nervous system, leading to neurological disease and death.
The strain has evolved many new variants since 2021. These can now infect over 500 wild bird species, of which over 50% had not had infections previously recorded.
Then came reports of fatal infections in mammals, from scavengers such as foxes to herbivores such as deer and marine mammals such as sea lions. Many had never had bird flu before. The virus was even able to infect livestock such as cattle. Human infections are thankfully rare, with no reports of the virus spreading between people so far.
Across western Europe and North America, deaths of breeding-age adult birds were as high as 25–76% in the worst-hit species. Many populations had near-complete breeding failures.
In 2023, it hit South America. Some bird species lost up to 50% of their global population, while marine mammals suffered their first mass deaths. In Argentina, 17,000 elephant seals died in a single colony.
What happened next?
While mass deaths of wildlife made global headlines, little media coverage has focused on what happened next.
Mass deaths don’t seem to strike the same populations year after year, even though the virus is still circulating.
Adult sandwich terns in western Europe died in droves in 2022. But in 2023, mortality rates in adults fell by 96%. That year’s chicks were hit hard, but those hatching in 2024 did far better.
Why? Older, more vulnerable birds all died off in the first wave, and surviving terns gained some immune resistance. Younger birds previously shut out from breeding took advantage of the situation, while chicks benefited from reduced competition for food.
Overall, sandwich tern numbers only fell modestly. Even so, the species is projected to take almost 20 years to recover to its pre-outbreak level.
Not all populations or individuals were affected equally – even in the first wave. Atlantic seabirds breeding in large, dense colonies were hit hard. Gannets, terns and skuas all saw mass deaths. But neighbouring petrels, puffins and shearwaters nesting in burrows had far fewer deaths.
This may give some protection to Australia’s burrowing little penguins. Authorities are also moving to vaccinate thousands of these penguins.
For many species, bird flu is made worse by other threats. In 2024, Adéle penguins in Antarctica had to battle both bird flu and deadly avian cholera, leading to many losses. Similarly, bird flu hit African penguins already in trouble from the collapse of sardine fisheries.
We can’t directly extrapolate from overseas experience. Many Australian birds and mammals are unique. Some, such as black swans, lack crucial immune defences against influenza.
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The death toll is not set
Official estimates suggest about 20% of bird and 10% of mammal populations in Australia are at high to extreme risk of population impacts from this strain.
But catastrophic destruction is not guaranteed. Whether a species is hit hard or barely touched will depend on three things: level of exposure to the virus, how well it can resist infection and how well it can cope with being infected.
Before this strain arrived, experts evaluated the risk for all Australian bird and mammal species, developed action plans for important sites and expanded surveillance and diagnostic systems to monitor outbreaks and viral evolution. These measures are globally recognised as the most important tools.
Australia is now following New Zealand in vaccinating captive and closely-managed populations.
Worldwide, no species has suffered 100% losses. That means some individuals likely survived the infection. Generally, animals can cope better with infection if they’re well fed, in a good habitat and aren’t exposed to pollution or stress.
The biggest lever we can pull is tackling these other pressures, from habitat loss and plastic pollution to invasive species.
We have a chance to try relieving these pressures on wildlife to give them more of a fighting chance – but the window is shrinking.
Author
Bethany J HoyeLecturer in Animal Ecology, University of Wollongong
Disclosure statement
Bethany J Hoye receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
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University of Wollongong provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.64628/AA.f3fcyysnf
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Bird flu could spell disaster for wild bird populations in Victoria
Bird flu has arrived in Victoria – and it could spell disaster for wild bird populations
H5 bird flu (H5N1) is a strain of highly infectious influenza that can affect wild, farmed, and pet birds, and can be transmitted to mammals.
Large-scale outbreaks of H5 bird flu have killed millions of wild birds and tens of thousands of mammals around the world – pushing already vulnerable species closer to extinction. Until June this year, Australia and New Zealand had remained free of the virus.
Where have confirmed bird flu cases been found?
The most recent update from the Victorian Agriculture Department on August 20 says there are over 100 confirmed cases of bird flu in Victoria, including one in Clyde in Western Port Bay, just south-east of Melbourne. Positive cases have been detected from Portland to Phillip Island, to East Gippsland, and even inland near Mildura.
Within only a few weeks of the first detection in Victoria on July 30, numbers of cases have rapidly risen, with numbers of deaths expected to grow significantly. Many important populations of birds across key coastal regions, rivers, and wetlands are likely to be impacted.
What are the potential impacts on wild birds in Victoria?
The threat of H5 bird flu to native birdlife is alarming. We could see whole populations of native bird species like black swans, which are highly susceptible, impacted. According to experts, other species, including endangered marine mammals like elephant seals, are also at risk. This could become a genuine wildlife emergency, and it must be treated with emergency funding and immediate action to protect native bird species and their habitat.
All of the birds from Environment Victoria’s ‘Doomed Without a Drink‘ report released July 2023 are on the Federal government’s bird flu risk assessment list. Only one has low susceptibility (Inland Dotterel), and nearly half are at a high to very high susceptibility, and most species have a high to very high national risk score.
Western Port Bay is one of Victoria’s remaining strongholds and important breeding and refuge areas for a number of threatened and vulnerable marine and coastal species. Its wetlands and surrounding waters provide habitat for internationally significant migratory shorebirds, seabirds, waterbirds and marine mammals, including species identified in the Australian Government’s national H5 bird-flu risk assessment.
The state government recently announced they would be vaccinating critical Little Penguin populations on Phillip Island and St Kilda, but sadly, there have already been positive cases of the virus in penguins on Phillip Island. The species is highly susceptible to the H5N1 virus.
What can be done to tackle this crisis?
The best thing the Victorian state government can do now is strengthen the resilience of native species, fund frontline interventions, and stop any avoidable threats to native bird species
We have serious concerns about whether the Victorian Government is adequately prepared to respond, especially given the cuts of more than 300 Environment Department staff and rangers in recent years. This has reduced the capacity for frontline monitoring, management, and response at a time when emerging threats such as bird flu require resources on the ground.
Healthy habitats also support stronger bird populations. Restored wetlands, protected breeding sites and well-connected landscapes give birds the best possible chance to withstand disease outbreaks and recover when disaster strikes.
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The Cage-Free Scam & Rethinking What Progress Means for Animals
The Cage-Free Scam & Rethinking What Progress Means for Animals
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Most people don’t want to see animals confined in tiny cages. “Cage-free” eggs suggest happy hens laying eggs freely as a humane alternative to horrific battery cages. The transition to cage-free eggs began with good intentions among animal advocates to reduce the obvious suffering associated with battery-cage systems.
Tragically, there is nothing free or humane about “cage-free” eggs. It is yet another form of deceptive marketing, humanewashing, making people feel better about buying eggs.
“Cage-Free” Is Cruelty Repackaged
Drawing on more than two decades of research from universities, animal-welfare scientists, veterinarians, government agencies, and industry, the evidence shows that the transition to cage-free eggs has produced minimal improvements in overall hen welfare and, in some cases, can result in as much or more overall suffering than caged systems. Cage-free systems can increase risks of injury, disease, and death. PETA’s 2026 White Paper on the Failure of Cage-Free Housing Systems to Reduce Overall Hen Suffering synthesizes this research and is supported by other experts, including veterinarian Dr. Crystal Heath, co-founder of Our Honor, a veterinary advocacy organization.
One Big Cage
While cage-free facilities allow hens more space to move, roost, and nest than battery cages, removing wire cages inside massive warehouses creates one big cage. In facilities with up to 100,000 birds crammed together, each hen has an average of just 1 to 1.5 square feet, restricting natural behaviors such as foraging, dust bathing, exploring, and wing-flapping, while forcing constant contact.
In windowless facilities where they never go outside or see the sun, competition for food, water, and perches can cause stress, aggression, piling, and suffocation. Feather pecking occurs in 80–94% of U.S. commercial cage-free flocks, causing open wounds, infections, and even cannibalism.
Injuries, Toxic Air, Continued Cruelties
Up to 97% of cage-free hens suffer painful keel-bone fractures from falls and collisions, causing chronic pain, impaired mobility, and potentially fatal injuries. In cage-free systems, thousands of moving birds disturb litter containing urine and fecal matter, filling the air with ammonia, dust, and airborne pathogens that irritate and burn their eyes and lungs. Dust and feathers also increase fire risk, with “poultry” birds accounting for most animals killed in barn fires.
As chicks, their sensitive beaks are still sliced or burned off, causing agonizing and chronic pain. Hens are still forcibly bred and genetically manipulated to produce around 300 eggs per year, pushing their fragile bodies beyond their limits and also causing pain, fractures, and severe health problems. Many are also subjected to forced molting, or intermittent starvation, to produce more eggs, causing stress, weight loss, and immune suppression.
Killing Babies and Their Mothers
What “cage-free” leaves out is the biggest horror of all: across the egg industry, all male chicks are killed because they cannot lay eggs, often by maceration, suffocation, or gassing. Their mothers are slaughtered too, after lives of torment and misery.
Chickens are emotionally sensitive, intelligent, and social animals who can form strong bonds, solve problems, and even dream. Mother hens communicate with their chicks through their shells before they hatch, using distinct vocalizations to teach them behaviors that help them better cope with fear and stress. In the egg industry, chicks are denied the chance to grow up with their mothers, deprived of maternal care and guidance.
Disease Spread and Mass Killing
Cage-free systems do nothing to eliminate infectious disease risks. Large flocks, litter floors, and constant movement can increase zoonotic disease spread, including bird flu (HPAI). When outbreaks occur, entire flocks can be killed using ventilation shutdown methods (VSD/VSD+), leaving birds to die prolonged, excruciating deaths from heatstroke and suffocation.
Since 2021, bird flu outbreaks have killed or led to the mass killing of over 200 million birds in the U.S. Of that, 72% were killed using VSD+, a prolonged death from heatstroke that can take hours. The USDA paid “poultry” producers approximately $1.25 billion in taxpayer-funded indemnity payments, compensation for bird-flu losses.
More Animals, More Suffering
Because cage-free systems can have lower productivity and more dirty, broken, or otherwise unsellable eggs, more hens may be needed to produce the same amount of marketable eggs, potentially requiring more animals to be bred, exploited, and killed. Even if welfare improves modestly per bird, needing more hens means more animals are bred and killed by this violent system, likely increasing total suffering.
Each hen is a sentient individual denied freedom and the opportunity to experience the life she naturally would, enduring deprivation, fear, and pain before facing the terror of the slaughterhouse.
Environmental Destruction and Killing of Wild Animals
If cage-free systems shift toward free-range or pasture-raised, more wild animals may also be killed to protect chickens and producer profits. So-called “higher-welfare” systems can intensify the climate crisis and ecological harm. A July 2026 study found that shifting Britain entirely to organic free-range egg production would nearly double greenhouse-gas emissions, increase land use and acidification, and require more hens to produce the same amount of eggs.
Rebranding, Not Reform
Cage-free campaigns aimed to reduce suffering and improve conditions for hens. Cage-free marketing has instead helped sustain egg consumption by allowing companies to charge higher prices for eggs marketed as more ethical and sustainable, while increasing consumer trust and demand. More hens are confined in battery cages today than when the modern cage-free movement began.
Over 40% of U.S. laying hens are now in cage-free systems, but cage-free is still a life sentence of misery and death for them. Egg demand has stayed strong despite higher prices, with consumers largely shifting between conventional and cage-free eggs as overall consumption rises. A 2023 United Egg Producers report quotes an egg producer describing the cage-free transition as an opportunity to “reset” how consumers and the animal-welfare community perceive the industry, acknowledging its potential to improve its public image.
The same pattern can be seen with the deceptively named Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), a voluntary welfare pledge for chickens bred and killed for their flesh. These supposed pledges by producers can risk legitimizing and expanding the system by reassuring consumers that animals are treated better.
Recent reports show the BCC has been used as a license for new large-scale chicken farms. A 2026 study suggests that positive welfare framing can reduce ethical discomfort and make continued consumption easier to justify.
The Path to Animal Liberation
By contrast, exposure to animal sentience and suffering can increase opposition to animal farming and willingness to reduce consumption. A 2021 U.S. survey found that half of respondents were trying to reduce their animal-product consumption, while 34.5% were open to trying a vegetarian or vegan diet.
With a clear egg-free message about the cruelty of the egg industry and available plant-based alternatives, more consumers might have chosen egg-free instead. Companies must be challenged to meet this demand by investing in plant-based alternatives, not given better ways to market animal products.
An open letter, ‘Reconsidering Cage-Free Eggs: An Open Letter from Concerned Scholars,’ authored by Vasile Stănescu, PhD, and others and signed by more than 50 international scholars, calls for a critical reassessment of cage-free egg campaigns within animal advocacy and food-system reform.
The Freedom of Vegan Advocacy
Our precious time and resources must advance the case for “egg-free, animal-free.” We do not fight for nicer-sounding enslavement and killing; we fight for the end of it. We must not water down the truth.
Beyond just reducing suffering while animals are exploited and killed, we must address the source of their suffering: the human supremacy mindset that sees animals as resources for us. They are not ours to use. They deserve to be free from exploitation, simply because they were born.
“Cage-free” eggs rearrange suffering, reinforce humanewashing, and potentially expand the industry. They are not the meaningful animal-welfare solution they are often portrayed as.
May animal advocates unite to advance a plant-based, slaughter-free food system and veganism as the most direct path to reducing animal suffering and healing our planet for all Earthlings.
Exposing the Big Game 