A baby girl has died after her mother tripped with the infant in her arms as she attempted to avoid a swooping magpie in Brisbane.
Emergency services were called to Glindemann Park in the suburb of Holland Park West shortly after 12pm on Sunday (local time).
A spokesperson for Queensland Ambulance told local media that paramedics received a report of a mother falling while holding her baby.
"We responded to reports that a mum had fallen with a baby in her arms, reportedly ducking to avoid a magpie," the spokesperson said.
The infant was transported to Queensland Children's Hospital in a critical condition, but later died from her injuries.
Police are now preparing a report for the coroner.
The freak accident comes a few weeks into magpie swooping season, which began earlier than usual this year due to warmer weather, The West Australian reports.
While magpies' breeding season traditionally begins towards the end of winter, some incidents of 'swooping' can occur earlier if the weather is unseasonably warm.
According to South Australia's Department for Environment and Water, 'swooping' is a protective behaviour magpies perform to warn potential threats to stay away from their eggs or newly hatched chicks.
Magpies typically breed between August and October each year, and it's during this time their protective behaviour is in full force, the department says.
