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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Phoebe Weston

Wild birds gain immunity to avian flu in ‘encouraging sign’ amid deadly outbreak

A number of big white seabirds on a rocky guano-covered hillside
Gannets on Bass Rock, off North Berwick. The world’s largest colony of northern gannets was hard hit by bird flu last year but 30% now have immunity. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/Guardian

Some birds have developed immunity to avian flu, according to scientists who say there are “encouraging signs” that the deadly virus could kill fewer birds this winter.

The current H5N1 bird flu outbreak, which started in 2021, has been the worst recorded, and is thought to have killed millions of wild birds. Mortality rates appeared to be very high among wild birds, but it was not known how many survived and gained immunity.

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