Alan Seaman killed in magpie swooping attack cycling accident

A man who died while trying to avoid a swooping magpie while cycling near a Wollongong beach has been named as Alan Seaman, an “experienced cyclist” and grandfather.

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A Wollongong grandfather has been named as the cyclist who died after a magpie swooping attack south of Sydney.

Alan Seaman, 76, was riding on an off-road path alongside Nicholson Park at Woonona on Sunday morning, when he veered onto the grass and hit a wooden fence post.

A witness said Mr Seaman was distracted by the magpie, which was swooping a female rider about 20 metres in front of him, causing him to crash into the fence and fall from the bike.

Alan Seaman pictured with his grandson.

Several people rushed over to help him, and despite wearing a helmet, onlookers said he was “was in a pretty bad way”.

Those assisting Mr Seaman realised he had stopped breathing and performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

Due to his critical condition, he was flown to St George Hospital, but despite best medical efforts, sadly passed away in hospital last night.

Locals said Mr Seaman, who was riding with a group of three other people at the time, was an experienced cyclist, who would often ride along the track socially on a Sundays.

Woonona Surf Lifesaving Club president Kevin Crick said the magpie was well-known among the locals, notorious for swooping cyclists.

“I come down every day, you see people walking the cycleway, it’s not a problem,” he said.

“But as soon as there is someone on a pushy, he starts going at them.”

Mr Crick said the magpie always swooped from the same tree, and had returned to the spot every spring for the past few years.

“Everyone knows about him, he’s very aggressive.”

Wollongong City Council has erected signs along the cycleway to warn people about the swooping bird, but locals say more needs to be down to prevent further incidents like this from happening in future.

Swooping magpie sign along the Nicholson Park cycleway.

Peter Thompson cycles along the Woonona path almost everyday and said he’s lost count of the number of times he’s been attacked.

“Magpies have every right to be here and I don’t want to see it moved or killed,” he said.

“But I think something would be helpful, especially after yesterday.”

In response to the incident, a council spokesman said additional signage and decals would be installed on the shared pathway to alert people of the swoopings.

“We were deeply saddened to hear of the incident at Woonona yesterday. Council has been made aware of some conflicting reports around how the incident occurred and we, along with concerned community members, will await further updates from the NSW Police,” they said.

Peter Thompson.

“We do encourage people who are aware of menacing magpies to contact Council’s Customer Service team.”

While the magpie has been described as “vicious” and a “menace” by locals, National Parks and Wildlife Services Magpies has reminded the public that magpies are a protected species, and it is “against the law to kill the birds, collect their eggs, or harm their young”.

Australia is entering its peak magpie swooping season with the onset of spring, as the birds target cyclists and pedestrians who come to close to their nests.

According to Magpie Alert, a website that collects reports of magpie swooping incidents, cyclists are the most common target of swooping, encompassing 69 per cent of reports so far in 2019.

Officers from Wollongong Police District are investigating the incident and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.