Mum's horror injury after magpie attack at busy Aussie beach: 'Out of nowhere'

A Sydney mum is warning others to be on high alert after a run-in with an aggressive magpie during her morning beach routine left her with a bloody and bruised eye.

The 40-year-old told Yahoo News she was heading back to her car from the Ross Jones Rockpool in Coogee last Wednesday when a “massive” magpie appeared “out of nowhere”.

Despite previously being swooped by the birds during their notorious annual nesting season, the woman said what occurred next was completely unexpected. “It just came at me and took his beak and went into my left eye with a big pop,” she explained.

The confused mum said she instantly felt a “sharp pain” and ran to the nearest GP’s office up the road with one hand partially covering her face.

After placing dye in her eye to confirm the bird had scratched it, the doctor prescribed the 40-year-old antibiotics.

“He said you need something immediately because it looks like it’s going to get infected,” she told Yahoo.

Shockingly, the mum said when she went to pick up her medication the pharmacist told her she was the third person “to come in with a bloody eye” after supposedly being attacked by the same magpie.

Five magpie swooping injuries reported near busy beach

In less than a month five people have reported being attacked and injured by an aggressive magpie in the same “very busy” area just off the beach, according to online tracker Magpie Alert.

Last Tuesday another person walking in the same spot near the Anzac Memorial said a magpie swooped at them three times before drawing blood from just above their eye. Days earlier a third person said they “got a decent peck right about [their] eye”, which also drew blood.

The Coogee mum told Yahoo News she contacted Randwick Council after hearing other locals had suffered similar injuries, however she claims they told her they were unable to remove the bird. Yahoo has contacted Randwick Council for comment.

Although there are signs already installed, the 40-year-old said they often go unnoticed so she recently posted on a community Facebook group to urge others to avoid the area — or at the very least be on alert. The woman said that her eye remains very itchy but is slowly healing.

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Magpie swooping tips

Magpie season kicked off in August, with male birds expected to be seen fiercely protecting their nests until November.

While the majority of them are well behaved, about 10 per cent of magpies become “boisterous” and aggressive because they see humans as a threat, Birdlife Australia’s Dr Holly Parsons previously told Yahoo News.

Experts suggest avoiding any area where magpies are known to be nesting, which is often where they have previously been known to swoop.

Another recommended protection strategy is to wear sunglasses and hats in order to avoid any injuries from an overzealous bird.

People are also advised against running away quickly or trying to fight attacking magpies, as that will be perceived as aggressive behaviour which could provoke further swooping. Instead, potential targets should walk away slowly with their heads down to avoid exposing their faces or eyes.

With NCA NewsWire

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