Abstract
Wild birds are key natural reservoirs and play a central role in the global spread of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). However, the absence of a standardized global list of wild bird hosts has limited comprehensive AIV risk monitoring and assessment within the One Health framework. Here, we generate a taxonomically harmonized dataset of AIV wild bird hosts, derived from 23,358 viral isolates of wild bird origin reported in the GISAID EpiFluTM database from 1973 to 2023. Host names were systematically extracted, validated, and harmonized to resolve reporting inconsistencies and unify taxonomy across records. The dataset comprises 394 wild bird species spanning 26 orders, with Anseriformes and Charadriiformes representing a substantial share of host diversity. By clarifying the global spectrum of wild bird hosts for AIVs, this dataset provides a foundation for host identification, phylogenetic annotation, and ecological trait-based analysis. Structured in machine-readable formats, it enables reproducible and large-scale, species-level studies spanning virology, epidemiology, and biodiversity.
Data availability
The dataset associated with this study is publicly avaiable on Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/15970977. All data are provided in CSV format. Further details regarding the dataset structure and variable descriptions are avaiable in the Data Records section.
Code availability
The code for the study can be accessed at https://github.com/gogofxd/InfluenzaWildBirdHost.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant number: 2022YFF0802400) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number: 81961128002). We gratefully acknowledge all the data contributors, i.e., the authors and their originating laboratories responsible for obtaining the specimens and their submitting laboratories for generating the genetic sequences and metadata and sharing via the GISAID Initiative, on which this research is based. We acknowledge all the members of the AviList Core Team for collecting and providing the bird data. We also acknowledge Yue Wu for help with the bird taxonomic assignment.
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F.D. and Q.Z. jointly conceived and designed the study. F.D. led the data extraction, performed the core analyses, interpreted the results, and drafted the initial manuscript. Q.Z. independently conducted a parallel round of host classification and contributed to the methodological design and critical revision of the manuscript. Y.C., Y.L., and W.L. participated in species-level data validation and cross-verification of host taxonomy. L.W. contributed to background research and assisted in data integration. Z.L. and J.P. supervised the overall research process, provided guidance on result interpretation, and revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. All the authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.
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Du, F., Zhang, Q., Cheng, Y. et al. A taxonomically harmonized global dataset of wild bird hosts for avian influenza virus surveillance.
Sci Data (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06451-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06451-1
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