Backyard chook owners ‘need to be very careful’ as deadly bird flu strain arrives in NZ

Wednesday, 15 July 2026

Backyard chook owners should act now to protect their birds, an expert vet has warned, and Kiwis should be on the lookout for wildlife acting out of the ordinary.

Biosecurity minister Andrew Hoggard confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that a highly contagious H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, which has been sweeping the globe had been detected in New Zealand, following its recent arrival in Australia.

It has only been found in a single seabird so far, on Wellington’s Petone beach.

But Pauline Howard, lead vet at the South Island Wildlife Hospital, said now was the time for people with backyard chickens or other birds to start preparing.

The disease was often fatal for poultry, she said, so finding a way to temporarily house them was a good idea.

It could be spread via both aerosols and faeces, so storing bird feed securely where it couldn’t be accessed by wild birds could also help protect domestic ones.

People “need to be very careful”, she warned.

Anyone who saw birds which were showing symptoms, including fits or seizures, weakness or difficulty standing, or moving their heads in a circular motion, should steer clear.

“Keep pets and keep yourself away from them.”

Land owners should be informed immediately, she said, including the Department of Conservation (DOC) or local councils for unwell birds on public land.

The disease arriving in Aotearoa had been “just a matter of time”, Howard said.

But it was still going to be “extremely stressful” for the Christchurch-based wildlife hospital.

“It’s going to change the whole way we do things.”

Because there was a risk it could be transmitted to humans who had close contact with infected birds, staff would need to wear masks and other protective gear.

As the disease was unlikely to ever entirely disappear from the wild bird population, these changes could be forever.

It could also be “devastating” for New Zealand’s wildlife, Howard said, especially vulnerable seabird colonies, as well as seals and seal lions who can also catch and be killed by the disease.

Eggs and poultry remain safe to eat, and the risk of members of the public catching the disease remained low, the biosecurity minister said.

Otago University virologist Professor Jemma Geoghegan said it was important to understand whether the confirmed case was an isolated detection or evidence of broader spread. 'Rapid testing, genomic sequencing and close monitoring of wild birds will be essential.'

She said there was no reason for the public to panic, “but people should avoid handling sick or dead birds and report unusual wildlife mortality'.

The Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand (PIANZ) and the Egg Producers Federation (EPF) previously told The Press free range commercial farms in areas with outbreaks would need to consider whether to bring their birds inside “for their own welfare”.

“The intention is for free range flocks to only be inside on a temporary basis and only when needed.”

PIANZ had a plan “ready to go” to let the public know if chickens had been temporarily housed, which included stickers to be placed on all egg and meat chicken packaging.

In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the industry leaders said egg and poultry producers were on high alert for any signs of bird flu and were “supporting all efforts to limit the spread of the virus”.

It added the public could be assured it was safe to eat properly cooked poultry, eggs, and egg products.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has more advice for protecting poultry and pet birds online here.