There are fears Aotearoa's native bird species could be wiped out if avian flu reaches New Zealand shores.
Intense planning for the potential arrival of the deadly influenza strain has been supercharged, with a rising number of cases in Australia and particularly Antarctica.
"We are learning everything we can about how the disease is behaving and spreading in Antarctica and also learning from our colleagues in the northern hemisphere about what they've observed and what measures have been appropriate at protecting their industries and their wildlife," The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) chief veterinary officer Dr Mary van Andel said.
MPI was the lead agency, with help from other government departments, including the Department of Conservation (DOC).
A way the influenza was likely to reach New Zealand was by birds migrating here, so patterns and flight paths were being studied, DOC's technical advisor ecology Bruce McKinlay said.
"It's going to be a very traumatic time for New Zealanders when it arrives here," he said.
"Based on international experience and what the virologists are telling us, it's highly pathogenic, it's a killing disease."
McKinlay said native bird populations could be at risk.
"We have a number of threatened species with low population numbers so any loss of numbers could be very extreme and could push us towards extinction," he said.
"But we can't predict that and we won't know until it's here."
McKinlay said the southern giant petrel's arrival from Antarctica this winter is a risk, as was the bar-tailed godwits and red knots in September and October.
"The risk of it happening depends on how many birds are involved and how long it can live with it carry it before it will succumb to it or not," he said.
Dr Mary van Andel and McKinlay both wanted the public to report any sightings of birds falling over, twisting their necks, or dying in large groups to Biosecurity.
Once bird flu arrives in New Zealand it is not possible to eradicate it, only manage it.
