Three state agencies remain on alert after a third presumptive case of avian influenza was found in a wild bird — this time in an endangered native duck on Kauaʻi.

Preliminary testing performed by the Hawaiʻi State Laboratory showed the bird was infected with an influenza A virus, though confirmation and subtype identification (e.g., H5N1) are pending further analysis by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL).

A Koloa Maoli (Hawaiian duck) was found sick on November 26 at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge in Hanalei, Kauaʻi. The bird died within 24 hours.

H5N1 is a highly infectious and often deadly subtype of influenza A that mainly affects birds. Human infections are rare but can occur with close contact.

Hawaiʻi’s first detection of H5N1 occurred in November 2024 in a backyard flock on Oʻahu, followed by a hybrid duck found on Oʻahu’s North Shore. This year, two additional cases have been confirmed in migratory Koloa Māpu ducks—one on Oʻahu and one on Maui. This Kauaʻi detection is the first potential case in a native bird, likely introduced through infected migratory waterfowl.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH), Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity (DAB), and Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) continue coordinated monitoring of public health reports, poultry operations and wild bird populations for any signs of virus spread.

With migratory bird season underway, more birds traveling through the islands may carry avian diseases and it is recommended that the public avoid touching or handling wild birds, especially waterfowl or shorebirds.

For more information, visit https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/avian-influenza/

 

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