Australia: H5 Positive Bird Count Rises (n=123) - Victoria Reports 1st Land bird Infection & Investigating Dead Seal

 

#19,280

While not unexpected, overnight CSIRO has reported the first Australian land bird - a Magpie from Victoria - has been confirmed infected with HPAI H5N1. This is their first non-seabird report since the virus was confirmed in June. 

6 August 2026

Attributable to Acting Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Sam Hamilton:

Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) has confirmed a further 16 positive detections in Victoria, 14 greater crested terns, one silver gull and one magpie. All of these birds were found in the vicinity of Portland and Nelson.

There have also been 6 further confirmed positive detections in South Australia, all in greater crested terns. This includes 1 in Beachport, 1 in Port Vincent, 1 at Pullen Island Port Elliott, 1 in Kangaroo Island,1 in Southend, and 1 in Pelican Point in the lower south east.

There have now been 123 confirmed or presumed positive detections of H5 bird flu in Australia, based on samples tested.

There remain no detections in poultry or in our agricultural production system.

The risk to human health remains low.

While tests are pending, local media is also reporting on a dead seal pup which washed up on the beaches of Warrnambool on Victoria's Southwest coast.   

There are, of course, other possible causes of death, but recent events make H5N1 a distinct possibility. 

The most recent national tally from the Australian Agriculture Dept.

Detection of H5 bird flu

As of 11am AEST, 6 August 2026, Australia has 123 confirmed detections of H5 bird flu in wild birds.

• 10 in Western Australia (WA)
• 87 in South Australia (SA)
• 2 in New South Wales (NSW)
• 1 in Queensland (QLD)
• 23 in Victoria (VIC).

This is the serious H5 bird flu strain that has been circulating globally.

There have been no detections in poultry or the wider agriculture industry.

The Consultative Committee for Emergency Animal Disease (CCEAD) has reviewed its previous advice and endorsed a framework on national poultry biosecurity measures that will commence from 31 July. Under this framework, state and territory governments are responsible for issuing advice on biosecurity measures using a risk-based approach.

State and territory governments are responsible for surveillance and response activities on the ground. They are actively working with industry to provide guidance on implementation of enhanced biosecurity measures, as appropriate. Find out more about bird flu in your state or territory.

National coordination is being led by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

The risk to human health remains low.

Australia is well prepared to respond quickly.