Baby girl dies after ‘sickening’ incident involving a swooping magpie

  • The freak incident happened on Sunday August 8 in Brisbane after midday
  • A mother reportedly ducked to avoid a magpie and tripped over in the local park
  • Paramedics transported an infant to the children’s hospital in a serious condition

By Manoli Luxford For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 06:27 BST, 9 August 2021 | Updated: 08:00 BST, 9 August 2021

A baby girl has died after a freak incident involving a swooping magpie. 

Paramedics were called to Glindemann Park in Brisbane’s southeast at 12.05pm on Sunday after the horrific accident. 

A Queensland Ambulance Services spokesperson said: ‘A mother had reportedly been ducking to avoid a magpie and then tripped over with a baby in her arms.

‘We transported an infant to Queensland Children’s Hospital in a serious condition with a head injury. The medical director was on board and so was a critical care paramedic.’

The baby died later in hospital.  

A mother who was swooped by a magpie in Brisbane's Glindemann Park (pictured) tripped while carrying her baby. The infant is in critical condition after the freak accident

A mother who was swooped by a magpie in Brisbane’s Glindemann Park (pictured) tripped while carrying her baby. The infant is in critical condition after the freak accident 

A young couple who were walking in the park said they rushed over to help after hearing the parents screaming. 

‘I’ve seen shock before but this was beyond anything I’d ever seen,’ the man told the Courier Mail. 

He praised the baby’s ‘heroic’ father for quickly calling Triple-0 while trying to do ‘everything he could’.  

‘It’s sickening I suppose, seeing a family torn apart in one quick moment,’ his wife added. 

Two Brisbane City Council workers captured the magpie at 3pm on Monday and took it away in a cage, after taping off the park and erecting warning signs. 

The magpie (stock image) was captured by council workers and taken away in a cage

The magpie (stock image) was captured by council workers and taken away in a cage

The magpie (stock image) was captured by council workers and taken away in a cage

Why do magpies swoop?

Magpies begin sweeping around peak breeding season from August through to November. 

During breeding season, magpies are mainly trying to defend their nest and its inhabitants. Breeding sites for the magpies are in short supply, and once the site has been gained, the magpies must defend it to prevent the territory being reduced or seized.

Male magpies will defend the nest during breeding season until the eggs are laid and the young birds are developed. This means that they will attack anything they consider to be a potential threat such as humans or animals by swooping down with a fast flight which can lead to contact being made.

Magpies will usually attack from behind so facing them has been known to halt a possible attack.

Male adult magpies use body language such as beak clapping, whooshing above the head and screeching to warn you to stay away from their nest with eggs or newly-hatched chicks.  

Experts recommend you don’t fight back or try to run away from the magpie quickly. The main thing is to stay calm as panicking will make the magpie more aggressive and cause more swooping. It is advised that you move away from the area slowly.

HOW TO AVOID SWOOPING 

 – If your usual route is near a magpie’s nesting area, try to change your route for the breeding season

– Protect your face by covering up with sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat. You could also hold an open umbrella above your head

–  If you know an area has swooping magpies, put up signs to warn other residents to avoid the area 

Sources: The Australian Museum, PETA Australia

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