Deadly avian flu strain could enter Australia via thieving migratory birds, scientists warn
by Graham Readfearn from Environment | The Guardian on (#6QRZA)
Birds practising kleptoparasitism - harassing each other until they drop their saliva-covered food - seen as plausible pathway' for arrival of H5N1
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Scientists have identified a new way for an aggressive strain of bird flu to enter Australia, via the habit of some migratory birds of harassing other birds and stealing their food and potentially their viruses.
Australia is the only continent to have so far escaped a virulent H5N1 strain of avian flu - known as 2.3.4.4b and discovered in Europe in 2021- that has devastated bird populations in other parts of the world.
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