Cyclist’s warning as noisy miners strike, attack children at family park
A traumatised woman was knocked from her bike and left covered in bruises when a flock of aggressive birds swooped her in a popular Chelsea park. Others, including kids, have been left bleeding — and the culprits are not the usual suspects.
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A Chelsea woman has been left battered and bruised after she was knocked off her bike by a group of swooping birds.
Elizabeth Ireson says she is now “paranoid” and refuses to visit her local park after the attack when she was cycling through Bicentennial Park.
And dozens more people have come forward to call out the serial swoopers, who have been unleashing havoc on unsuspecting joggers and cyclists during November and throughout the wider August-December nesting season.
But the culprit is not the usual black and white suspect, with Ms Ireson and other victims pointing the beak at the Australian “noisy” miner bird.
The territorial, native grey birds have a black head with orange-yellow feet and beak, and a distinctive yellow patch behind the eye.
“These birds are quite aggressive, they were coming at me really quick and I was trying to smack them away,” she told the Leader.
“I’m pretty traumatised from the whole experience. Everyone always seems to get attacked at Bicentennial.
“I was cycling for five years but now I don’t even like to walk under trees. When people ask to meet at that park, I ask if we can go somewhere else.”
Cyclist Tegan Elise says she was left with post traumatic stress disorder after she was also knocked to the ground when she was riding behind the netball courts.
“I fell off my bike and ran off screaming while it continued to swoop me … it was very aggressive and got me on the cheek leaving a bleeding wound on my face.
“I am always looking for birds now and if I ever go for a walk, I avoid walking near trees, I haven’t used my bike since.
“It’s not until you are swooped yourself by a bird you can understand how horrific it really is.”
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In another cyclist attack, mother-of-two Gina Bensaih said birds knocked her boys aged four and seven to the ground in a scare just two weeks ago.
“They’re aggressive all right,” she said.
Two more local parents, James Rice and Thomas Bassett, said on social media that both of their young children were attacked on the face in recent weeks, leaving one girl bleeding.
Birdlife Bayside treasurer Paul Foxworthy said the miners were not to be confused with the common or Indian mynas, which are considered pests.
“(The miners) are protected native Australian honeyeaters and are well known for (aggressive) behaviour,” he said.
“The common or Indian myna is an introduced species widely regarded as a pest, but as I far as I know they don’t swoop.”
Ms Ireson called for Kingston City Council to install better signage at the park, which only has small signs that carry a magpie warning.
“I am an animal lover and do not propose any damage or relocation of the birds as it is their home, however I do not believe the signs are being seen,” she said.
“There could be better signage or perhaps this area could be cordoned off to people during nesting season.”
Kingston Council was contacted for comment.