Black swan DNA could offer insight into how humans respond to bird flu May 6 2021 In a world-first, scientists from The University of Western Australia have assembled the entire DNA of the black swan, which could offer insight into how the bird, and even humans, respond to bird flu and other pandemics in the same family of viruses. Image Credit: The University of Western Australia The black swan, a species native to Western Australia and the State’s official bird emblem, is particularly vulnerable to bird flu compared to other birds. Similarly, humans who contract the virus are also very vulnerable, with high fatality rates.