Many of them cannot fly, some of them like to get drunk, and others are fond of stealing. They are unique and idiosyncratic, both beloved and annoying, with many endangered as well, but New Zealand’s native birds are now under threat from a new enemy: a highly evolved strain of deadly bird flu.
The country is in the second phase of vaccination trials on native birds, with early results suggesting it could be an effective line of defence against the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu strain. The virus has decimated bird populations in other countries, with New Zealand experts fearing it could wipe out entire species.
