Fears are growing a deadly avian flu strain discovered in Australia's largest state is spreading, with 16 sick or dead birds reported, although the government is calling for calm.
The H5N1 variant of the virus was confirmed in a sick brown skua found on a remote beach near Esperance in Western Australia, about 700km southeast of Perth.
A second migratory bird, a giant petrel, has also returned a preliminary positive result, but further investigation is needed.
Environment Minister Murray Watt said while the federal government was aware of numerous reports of sick and dead birds, it wasn't clear whether they related to bird flu, or the "many other reasons birds die every single day".
"At this point, there's no need for alarm that this has become a more widespread incident beyond those two birds," Mr Watt told ABC Radio on Monday.
