A city council has applied for a license to kill a magpie that may have left two children blind in one eye.
The City of Stirling in Perth took action after a series of vicious attacks in Trigg Park within the Clarko Reserve.
The plea comes as a last-ditch effort as children Indie, 4, and Finn, 5 were forced to undergo painful eye-surgery to repair cuts to their iris and cornea in their right eyes.
Indie, 4, (left) and Finn, 5 (right) were attacked in Trigg Park in Clarko Reserve and have to undergo painful eye surgery to repair cuts to their iris and cornea, they may go blind in their right eyes
Trigg Park, Clarko Reserve in Stirling, Perth (pictured here) is notoriously bad for magpie attacks- with several children attacked in the last couple of weeks
The children could lose sight in one eye, with the extent of the damage not known for up to six months Sunrise has reported.
In another incident, Ange Power, from Scarborough, was playing in the same park with her three children when a magpie ‘nailed’ her daughter Sophie.
The magpie narrowly missed the five-year-old’s eye when she saw the bird ‘standing on the ground, flying up and attacking before ‘going in for another round’.
‘I’m so grateful that it wasn’t the eye, only a few tiny scratches underneath and a kid that’s now terrified of magpies,’ she wrote in a lengthy post on Facebook.
Wildlife biologist Bill Bateman mentioned that people on bikes were susceptible to attacks as ‘magpies get very irate by bikes’ (stock image)
‘Maybe the rest of the school hols will be spent at the beach’ she wrote.
The children were attacked by the same magpie in the same park located within the Clarko Reserve.
City of Stirling parks and sustainability manager Ian Hunter confirmed on Tuesday that the council will apply to eliminate the bird.
The application is to see the council obtain a dangerous fauna license.
Given by the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, it enables councils to eliminate animals that are bringing harm to the community.
Mating season spreads across from June to December, but around September is always the worst time of year for swooping and children are most at risk Mr Bateman says
‘On this occasion, the City has determined that recent magpie attacks at Clarko Reserve have been ongoing and of a serious nature and will apply to DBCA for a dangerous fauna licence to remove the offending bird. If approved, DBCA will work with the City to confirm the site and remove the bird.’ Mr Hunter told Perth Now.
Wildlife biologist Bill Bateman, from Curtin University’s school of molecular and life sciences said that children were more likely to be swooped as they often run around and make a lot of noise.
While he said that most attacks actually happen from behind, with the victim oblivious to the ‘warning’ the magpies are giving- some attacks can be severe.
‘They’re quite large birds with sharp beaks and their way of defending the nest is to fly at what they perceive is the danger and go for the eyes.’
Mr Bateman also mentioned that people on bikes were also susceptible as ‘magpies also get very irate by bikes’.
Mating season spreads across from June to December, but around September is always the worst time of year for swooping.
Male birds tend to be the worst attackers as they target anyone coming near their eggs, their young or nests.
Mr Bateman warns if there is a magpie in your local park- it’s best to avoid the area if possible- if not, take precautions, wear a hat and sunglasses and avoid looking up at the trees.