Wedge tailed eagle tries to snatch child at Bird of Prey wildlife show

A young boy attending a Birds of Prey wildlife show in Alice Springs quickly became the would-be prey of a wedge tailed eagle, after it swooped on him and aimed it’s sharp talons at the child's head.

The boy, believed to be about seven years old, was left with a cut to his face after the eagle dived at him instead of flying to a log as planned at the Alice Springs Desert Park.

Shocked onlookers captured the moment the boy’s green hoodie was almost ripped away by the bird.

One witness, Christine O’Connell, uploaded a photo to her Instagram page saying the show was cancelled after the incident.

“At a nature park in Alice Springs we decided to go to a bird show the young boy in the green kept pulling his zipper up and down,” she wrote in the caption.

“For some reason the Wedge Tailed Eagle did not like it and instead of flying over to the log he is meant to for a photo opportunity he flew straight at the young boy and attacked him.

“The show was quickly cancelled and the boy taken off to first aid. Those talons are huge he was a very lucky young boy.”

Desert Park staff said the boy was doing fine and described his facial wounds as “superficial”, the Herald Sun reported.

It is believed the boy and his family were visiting Central Australia from Albury Wodonga.