This web page provides an archive of previous updates. For the latest information on Tasmania's bird flu response, read the current situation update.
Bird flu media releases issued by this department are available on the Disclosure Log web page.
September 2026
4 September 2026
H5 bird flu has been detected in two new locations and in two new species.
A silver gull at Strahan has tested positive to H5 bird flu. This is the first detection at Strahan.
A black-faced cormorant has tested positive near Currie on King Island. This is the first detection in this species.
A peregrine falcon has tested positive at Britton's Swamp in the far northwest. This is the first detection in this species and at Britton's Swamp.
The number of H5 bird flu events in the state is now 28.
As Tasmania moves into longer-term response and surveillance actions, NRE Tas will move away from reporting on every individual positive test result, instead future updates will focus on reporting new localities where H5 bird flu has been detected.
There are no mass mortalities and no detection in Tasmanian poultry. Chicken and eggs remain safe to eat.
Pet owners play a role in helping prevent the spread of H5 bird flu by keeping cats indoors or in enclosures, keeping dogs away from sick or dead wildlife, and preventing contact between wild birds and domestic birds or poultry.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages
3 September 2026
A crested tern at Beaumaris has tested positive to H5 bird flu.
This is a second event in Tasmania's North East and brings the number of H5 bird flu events in the State to 25.
As Tasmania moves into longer-term response and surveillance actions, NRE Tas will move away from reporting on every individual positive test result, instead future updates will focus on reporting new localities where H5 bird flu has been detected.
There are no mass mortalities and no detection in Tasmanian poultry. Chicken and eggs remain safe to eat.
Pet owners play a role in helping prevent the spread of H5 bird flu by keeping cats indoors or in enclosures, keeping dogs away from sick or dead wildlife, and preventing contact between wild birds and domestic birds or poultry.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages
2 September 2026
H5 bird flu has been detected in two new locations in Tasmania, in a crested tern at Wesley Vale and a sooty oystercatcher at Kelso.
This is the first positive detection in a sooty oystercatcher in Tasmania.
As Tasmania moves into longer-term response and surveillance actions, NRE Tas will move away from reporting on every individual positive test result, instead future updates will focus on reporting new localities where H5 bird flu has been detected.
There are no mass mortalities and no detection in Tasmanian poultry. Chicken and eggs remain safe to eat.
Pet owners play a role in helping prevent the spread of H5 bird flu by keeping cats indoors or in enclosures, keeping dogs away from sick or dead wildlife, and preventing contact between wild birds and domestic birds or poultry.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
1 September 2026
H5 bird flu has been detected in three new locations in Tasmania, in a tern at Marrawah, a forest raven at Triabunna and a tern at Acton Park.
Tasmania has now recorded 54 positive detections of H5 bird flu since the first detection in mid-August.
As Tasmania moves into longer-term response and surveillance actions, NRE Tas will move away from reporting on every individual positive test result, instead future updates will focus on reporting new localities where H5 bird flu has been detected.
There are no mass mortalities and no detection in Tasmanian poultry. Chicken and eggs remain safe to eat.
NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
Dog owners are reminded to keep your dogs on a lead and away from dead birds, sick wildlife and animal carcasses.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
August 2026
28 August 2026
An additional eight positive detections of H5 bird flu have been recorded, including in a forest raven, bringing the total number of positive detections in Tasmania to 33.
The new detections include a crested tern at Naracoopa on King Island, a forest raven at Loorana on King Island, a silver gull at Currie on King Island, two silver gulls at Stanley, two crested terns at Stanley, and crested tern at Wynyard.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
Reporting by members of the community helps inform our surveillance and response.
Reporting and testing helps show where the virus is and whether cases are linked within Tasmania or are from interstate sources.
Keep pets such as dogs and cats away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep cats contained. When walking dogs, keep dogs on a lead and observe no dog zones.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
26 August 2026
Six positive detections of H5 bird flu, including two positive detections in the north and north east, have been confirmed, bringing the total number recorded in Tasmania to 25.
The new detections include a crested tern at Lulworth, a crested tern at Scottsdale, two crested terns in Burnie, one crested tern at Sea Elephant River on King Island, and a little penguin at Grassy on King Island.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
Reporting by members of the community helps inform our surveillance and response.
Reporting and testing helps show where the virus is and whether cases are linked within Tasmania or are from interstate sources.
Keep pets such as dogs and cats away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep cats contained. When walking dogs, keep dogs on a lead and observe no dog zones.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
25 August 2026
The number of positive H5 bird flu detections in Tasmania remains 19.
Detections have so far occurred in crested terns, silver gulls, a white-front tern, a brown skua and a little penguin.
Detections have been recorded from birds collected on King Island and at Rocky Cape, Burnie and Sulphur Creek on Tasmania's north west coast
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state. End of added content
Reporting by members of the community helps inform our surveillance and response.
Reporting and testing helps show where the virus is and whether cases are linked within Tasmania or are from interstate sources.
Keep pets such as dogs and cats away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep cats contained. When walking dogs, keep dogs on a lead and observe no dog zones.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
24 August 2026
The number of positive H5 bird flu detections in Tasmania is 19.
Detections have so far occurred in crested terns, silver gulls, a white-front tern, a brown sku and a little penguin.
As part of our H5 bird flu response, surveillance monitoring on King Island has been increased. Community engagement has also increased. Reporting by members of the community helps inform our surveillance and response.
Reporting and testing helps show where the virus is and whether cases are linked within Tasmania or are from interstate sources.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
Keep pets such as dogs and cats away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep cats contained. When walking dogs, keep dogs on a lead and observe no dog zones.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
23 August 2026
The number of positive H5 bird flu detections in Tasmania is 19.
Detections have so far occurred in crested terns, silver gulls, a white-front tern, a brown sku and a little penguin.
As part of our H5 bird flu response, surveillance and monitoring on King Island has been increased. Community engagement has also increased. Reporting by members of the community helps inform our surveillance and response.
Reporting and testing helps show where the virus is and whether cases are linked within Tasmania or are from interstate sources.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
Keep pets such as dogs and cats away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep cats contained. When walking dogs, keep dogs on a lead and observe no dog zones.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
21 August 2026
Tasmania has recorded seven additional positive detections of H5 bird flu, bringing the total positive detections to 18.
The detections were in four silver gulls, two crested terns and one white-fronted tern collected from beaches and bays near Currie on King Island. This is the first detection of H5 bird flu in a white-fronted tern.
Samples have been sent to CSIRO's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmation testing and sequencing.
An additional 23 little penguins have been found dead, bringing the total to 51. Test results on these birds are pending.
Surveillance and monitoring on King Island has been increased as part of our H5 bird flu response.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
Keep pets such as dogs and cats away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep cats contained. When walking dogs, keep dogs on a lead and observe no dog zones.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
20 August 2026
Surveillance and monitoring activities on King Island are being increased as part of our H5 bird flu response.
The total number of confirmed bird flu cases in Tasmania remains at 11 wild birds, however 28 dead little penguins and three dead crested terns were found at the Port of Grassy on King Island through on-ground surveillance by NRE Tas.
Samples have been collected and sent to our Animal Health Laboratory for testing. The bird carcasses will be collected to minimise any potential for disease spread, noting it is not yet known if these birds died from H5 bird flu.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
Keep pets such as dogs and cats away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep cats contained. When walking dogs, keep dogs on a lead and observe no dog zones.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
19 August 2026
There has been one new detection of H5 bird flu in a crested tern in the North West yesterday.
The total number of positive detections is now at 11 wild birds, including crested terns, silver gulls and a brown skua. Detections have so far occurred on King Island and Tasmania's North West Coast.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
Keep pets such as dogs and cats away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep cats contained. When walking dogs, keep dogs on a lead and observe no dog zones.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
AVOID contact.
RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
18 August 2026
There have been no new detections of H5 bird flu in Tasmania confirmed overnight.
The total number of positive detections remains at 10 wild birds, including crested terns, silver gulls and a brown skua. Detections have so far occurred on King Island and Tasmania's North West Coast.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
- AVOID contact.
- RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
- REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
17 August 2026
H5 bird flu detected in 10 wild birds in Tasmania
H5 bird flu has now been detected in 10 wild birds in Tasmania, including crested terns, silver gulls and a brown skua. Recent detections have occurred on King Island and Tasmania's North West Coast.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry, and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat. NRE Tas continues surveillance and response activities across the state.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife:
- AVOID contact.
- RECORD the location and, if safe, take photos.
- REPORT it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Check current advice on our bird flu webpages.
13 August 2026
H5 avian influenza (bird flu) has been detected in a wild brown skua.
The bird was identified through our surveillance efforts near Rocky Cape in the state’s north west and sent for testing at our Animal Health Laboratory in Launceston.
Samples have been sent to the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong to confirm the positive detection.
This is Tasmania’s first positive detection in a wild bird. There have been no detections in poultry and there is no evidence of other species mortalities at this time.
People are asked to remain alert for signs of bird flu but should not touch sick or dead birds. Avoid contact. Record what you see. Report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
The current risk of bird flu to people in Australia is low.