The kāhu (swamp harrier hawk) – found in the Wairarapa – is the second case of bird flu in NZ and the first in a native bird.
The first case, detected in a seabird, was announced on Wednesday.
The SMC asked experts to comment. Previous comments on bird flu are available here.
Professor Jemma Geoghegan, Virologist, University of Otago, comments:
“The detection of H5N1 in a second solitary scavenger is notable because birds such as kāhu may help reveal how the virus is moving across the landscape. Their scavenging behaviour and ability to travel long distances mean they could contribute to seeding infection into other species.
“It also raises the question of what this bird had been feeding on. There may be a small, undetected pocket of infection somewhere that have not yet been found or tested.
“The immediate priority is therefore targeted surveillance in the surrounding area to determine whether this was an isolated exposure or evidence of wider local circulation.”
Conflict of interest statement: Prof. Geoghegan has declared she has no conflicts of interest.