Gold Coast Dad said his son is being attacked by ‘devil spawn’ magpie after it swooped many times

A magpie swooped on a boy on the Gold Coast four times in two days, while ignoring other people, his father has claimed.

Kevin Barnes called the bird the ‘devil spawn’ after it attacked his six-year-old son Oliver as he rode his bike to the shops on Sunday. 

In total, the bird has charged at Oliver three times within four days, prompting the pair to pass by on the other side of road to avoid the attacks. 

However, the bird has even flown across four lanes of traffic to get at Oliver. 

‘I was in front of my kid and I heard him laughing, but sort of shouting for me at the same time,’ Mr Barnes told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

‘I turned around and there was a magpie on top of his helmet, pecking at his head.

‘As soon as I came back to him, the thing flew off.’

Mr Barnes said he had never seen a magpie pick on one person repeatedly, while ignoring others. 

But he added he wasn’t worried too much and found the attention ‘quite exciting’. 

A Griffith University report said the birds have a good memory for faces that lasts a long time.  

Ecologist Dr Darryl Jones told 9News that only ten per cent of magpies attack people, with half of those attacking pedestrians and the other swooping on cyclists. 

He suggested maintaining eye contact with the bird if you are attacked, while quickly walking away. 

There is also an online group who raise awareness of particularly nasty magpies, where victims can record and map their encounters.

Magpie season lasts from July to December but the peak time is in September.