In summer 2022, highly pathogenic influenza A(H5N1) virus reached the herring gull (Larus argentatus subspecies smithsonianus) breeding colony on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada. Real-time monitoring revealed a self-limiting outbreak with low mortality. Proactive seabird surveillance is crucial for monitoring such limited outbreaks, protecting seabirds, and tracing zoonotic transmission routes.
Keywords: American herring gulls; H5N1; HPAI; Larus argentatus subsp. smithsonianus; avian flu; avian influenza virus; bird flu; gull; highly pathogenic influenza A(H5N1) virus; influenza; influenza in birds; interclass transmission; poultry diseases; respiratory infections; seabird; viruses; zoonoses.