Mum’s fears after magpie attacks in popular Bundaberg park

A MOTHER has raised concerns after a territorial magpie repeatedly tried to attack her daughter in a local park.

A MOTHER has raised concerns after a territorial magpie repeatedly tried to attack her daughter in a local park.

Kirsty Jade took her daughter to Boreham Park this week for what she expected to be a fun day, but it quickly turned into a traumatic experience for her five-year-old child, when a magpie began attacking them.

"We saw the magpie fly on to the ground, so I made sure we kept a distance and stayed walking on the pathway of the park," Ms Jade said.

"Then the magpie just flew at us, not really at me, but my daughter and I was just trying to shield her and get back to the car."

After returning to their car, Ms Jade decided to drive a further 200m down and attempted to access another area of the park.

But when the mother and her child attempted to do so, the magpie again started trying to attack Ms Jade's daughter.

"I've been swooped many times and this wasn't swooping … it was so set on getting to my daughter and it just kept going back and forth at her and she was just screaming and crying," Ms Jade said.

"She was traumatised by it and I was trying to pretend that I wasn't scared, but I was really terrified."

 

MAGPIE ATTACK: Kirsty Jade with her five-year-old daughter, before the attack occurred.

 

After the magpie followed them to the car and Ms Jade managed to get her daughter out of harms way, they watched in horror, as the bird began swooping another young child and their parent, causing the child to fall and hurt themselves.

Keeping her daughter's safety in mind, Ms Jade has called for Bundaberg Regional Council to relocate the bird in question and install additional signage in swooping prone areas.

"My daughter is a bit scared of birds already because she saw my mum get attacked by one a while ago, where it hit mum on the head a couple of times and blood was running down her neck," Ms Jade said.

"I wasn't just worried about the bird, I'm worried that one day if this happens and she keeps trying to get away, she could run onto the road and I want to make sure other parents know for their sake too."

Ms Jade said she was shocked that magpies would be so aggressive outside of their typical breeding season, which generally occurs between June and October.

Data generated from Magpie Alert indicates the most recent attacks in the Bundaberg area happened during this time, with Burnett Heads being the most common area.

"Warning signs are placed in areas around the region known for swooping magpies," a spokeswoman for the Bundaberg Regional Council said.

"Magpies are only relocated on a case by case basis and as a last resort.

"DES provides information regarding magpie behaviour, how to stay safe and a range of resources."

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