Australia bird flu news: Convulsing gulls

 

Screengrabs and headline:  news.com.au, 9/20/2026

A juvenile pacific gull was seen writhing in agony in Adelaide, South Australia, as Australia’s avian influenza outbreak spread. Footage here, posted by Sue Belperio on September 17, shows the bird, commonly found along the coast of South Australia, struggling to maintain its balance and convulsing. Belperio said she contacted the Emergency Animal Diseases Hotline for help. “They attended several hours later, finding that the bird was still just alive and so they quickly performed euthanasia on the beach,” Belperio said. “Over subsequent days I found two more juveniles with the same symptoms, though we’re still awaiting confirmation of their diagnosis,” she added. The sighting came days after authorities in South Australia confirmed the country’s first cases of a pelican and an Australian sea lion infected by the virus, reports said. As of September 17, Australia had 576 confirmed events of H5 bird flu in wildlife. Of these, 302 were in South Australia. 

Other Australia bird flu posts:

September 1-15, 2026

Australia reports first case of bird flu in pelican.  (9/15)

New South Wales is ground zero for bird flu in Australia.  (9/14)

Australia bird flu news:  New South Wales reports five new events.  (9/14)

Australia reports sea lion death due to bird flu.  (9/13)

Australia bird flu news:  New South Wales has recorded "25 events".  (9/11)

Australia reports widespread outbreak of bird flu denial.  (9/10)

Rethinking how to deal with foxes as bird flu spreads in Australia. (9/9)

Bird flu reported at northern beach in Sydney Australia.  (9/7)

Tasmania begins vaccination of orange-bellied parrots.  (9/3)

August 16-31, 2026

Dolphin dies of bird flu in Australia.  (8/30)

"Psychological risk" on Macquarie Island.  (8/28)

Bird flu suspected case of red fox infection in Australia.  (8/27)

Australia's 12,000 remaining sea lions at risk from bird flu.  (8/26)

"Indicator status" of black swans.  (8/25)

Australia reports first mammal death from bird flu.  (8/24)

Kangaroo Island residents worry about spread of virus.  (8/23)

So far wild birds but not poultry affected .  (8/21)

Bird flu kills 1000 crested terns in South Australia.  (8/21)

Cause of mass death of birds in Victoria not yet confirmed.  (8/20)

Philip Island penguin dies of bird flu.  (8/17)

First reported case in Narooma sets off worries over impact on tourism business.  (8/16)

August 1-15, 2026

In Australia, avian flu takes a toll on wild birds.  (8/15)

Tasmania reports first case of bird flu.  (8/14)

Officials considers closing of public areas.  (8/13)

Chicken lockdown expands.  (8/13)

Poultry events cancelled at agricultural show.  (8/9)

New South Wales reports first case in native species.  (8/9)

Poultry farms in VIctoria go into lockdown,  (8/8)

Australia is facing a bird flu outbreak in wildlife.  (8/2)

Seagull tests positive for bird flu in Australia.  (8/1)

WATT Poultry finally gets around to reporting on bird flu in Australia and New Zealand after 6-week layoff.  (8/7)

Australia fears  a bird flu disaster is looming.  (8/6)

Spread of bird flu in Australia.  (8/4)

Mass mortality bird flu event in Australia.  (8/3)

July 2026

Australia sounds the alarm for local birds and sea lions.  (7/31)

Bird flu cases confirmed in South Australia.  (7/30)

Victoria reports first case of bird flu.  (7/30)

Will these 7 suspected cases of bird flu in South Australia be confirmed?   (7/28)

Two cases of bird flu reported in South Australia.  (7/26)

Queensland reports first case of bird flu.  (7/24)

Detected cases of bird flu in Australia jumps to 17.  (7/23)

6th and 7th cases of bird flu reported in Australia.  (7/4)

June 2026

Australia reports 4th case of bird flu.  (6/28)

Australia confirms 3rd case of bird flu.  (6/25)

Bird flu has now reached every continent.  (6/23)

First bird flu case in Australia leads to poultry farm lockdowns.  (6/23)

Australia reports its first case of bird flu.  (6/19)