The H5N1 virus, initially restricted to Eurasia and Africa, has since spread to North and South America and even reached Antarctica in early 2024.

But among the pirate life’s many perils, contracting and transmitting a deadly disease might be a new one. In a study published on Monday in the journal Conservation Letters, a team of scientists suggests these thieving seabirds might become vectors for the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu,

Just how deadly is the H5N1 avian flu? The virus, which is currently sweeping through U.S. dairy herds, rarely jumps to human beings, at least for now. But when it does, the consequences can be grave: The World Health Organization reports that 52 percent of people known to be infected with H5N1 have died from the disease.

It’s easier to steal another seabird’s meal than catch your own fish. But this behaviour by skuas, frigatebirds and gulls is contributing to the spread of lethal avian influenza