Three of four virulent avian Escherichia coli isolates transferred a single large molecular-weight R-plasmid to two recipient E. coli strains. Antibiotic resistances transferred included streptomycin (two isolates) and streptomycin-tetracycline-sulfa (one isolate). Production of colicin and siderophores, complement resistance, and embryo lethality present in the virulent isolates were not transferred to recipient organisms. From the results, it appears that the R-plasmids of these virulent avian E. coli are not associated with virulence.