Swooping magpie behind tragic fatal accident seized by Brisbane City Council after baby dies

Brisbane’s Lord Mayor has revealed what’s been done with the swooping magpie behind an “unthinkable” tragic accident between a mother and her baby.

Authorities have revealed the fate of a particularly aggressive swooping magpie, that was behind a tragic accident involving a mother and her baby.

Five-month-old Mia was rushed to hospital on Sunday with critical injuries after her mum, attempting to duck a swooping magpie, fell while holding her.

Mia, whose name was today shared on a GoFundMe set up by friends of the family, tragically died yesterday.

RELATED: Baby dies after mum falls trying to avoid swooping magpie

Mia tragically died yesterday.

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The incident occurred at Glindemann Park in Holland Park, in Brisbane’s south, just after midday on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters earlier today, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said he had ordered an “urgent” investigation into why the magpie had been kept at Glindemann Park, despite council receiving a number of complaints about its behaviour.

Numerous people living in Holland Park have said the magpie injured them to the point of drawing blood.

The magpie that caused the critical accident with Mia swooping a Brisbane local. Picture: Liam Kidston

Mr Schrinner said the situation was “impossible to predict” but that the council was looking into what policies could be improved to ensure it would not be repeated.

“To see the loss of five-month-old young Mia in such tragic circumstances is something that has shocked the community to the absolute core,” he said.

“This is something no one wants to see happen, something that has never happened before and something we want to make sure never happens again.”

Mr Schrinner said the magpie had been seized by council workers and had since been moved “a long way away”.

Magpies are a protected species across all of Australia and it is a serious offence to harm or kill them.

“The bird has been moved well outside of the urban area and into a place where it can’t come back to Holland Park. That is an option we have available to us and one we use from time to time,” he said.

Research has shown magpies moved at least 50km away (in a straight line) from their nest are unlikely to return. Observations done by wildlife organisations in Australia also show the female usually pairs up with another male bird who then “adopts” her chicks.

The Lord Mayor said the bird was “far enough” away so that “it won’t be coming back to Holland Park”.

“We know that locating it to another suburban area is not the right idea so it’s been taken out to the bush,” he said.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. Picture: Liam Kidston

Signs warning about the Holland Park magpie had already been erected by council before the tragic incident on Sunday.

Mr Schrinner was questioned on what it takes in Brisbane to remove an aggressive bird, rather than just erect signs.

“I know there was signs put up but … we need to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

“So I’m not here to defend processes, I’m not here to defend policies, I’m here to make sure this never happens again. That’s my priority.”

Mr Schrinner said he believed it was the first time a magpie had caused a fatal accident in Brisbane.

“Swooping magpies are part of Australian life, there are not many people in Brisbane that haven’t been swooped by magpies at some stage in their life … at most stages they’re relatively minor,” he said.

“But there’s never been a situation like this in Brisbane before … this is the first and we want it to be the last.”

A sign warning about the magpie at Glindemann Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

Mr Schrinner said Brisbane was a city that cared for its local wildlife but people must come first.

“We need to get the balance right here, we are absolutely a city that protects its wildlife, but we need to protect our people first, our people must be our first priority,” he said.

An investigation is underway into the incident, including if procedures need to be tightened, with Mr Schrinner saying he hoped to have everything finalised within a fortnight.

Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics responded to the incident and stayed with the distraught mum and dad for about an hour, a witness told The Courier-Mail.

“That was following reports that a woman had tripped while holding a baby after reportedly attempting to duck and avoid a magpie,” a QAS spokeswoman told news.com.au.

“The QAS medical director and critical care paramedics responded and transported the infant to Queensland Children’s Hospital in a critical condition.”

Originally published as Swooping magpie behind tragic fatal accident seized by Brisbane City Council after baby dies