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Sydney streets left in terror by attack of the currawongs

Charlie Dunn is attacked by a currawong which has been terrorizing pedestrians in the center of Sydney, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

The yellow barriers are out, with signs warning "Don't run," "If necessary protect your eyes". Sydney is under attack.

The aggressors are a pair of nesting currawongs, sinister looking black birds with long, sharp beaks.

The male of the pair, which is nesting high in a tree in downtown Sydney, has been terrorising passersby, reportedly drawing blood from more than one unsuspecting pedestrian in scenes reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film classic The Birds.

Male currawongs are known for aggressive attacks which target the eyes and head. Last year a magpie killed an elderly man and seriously injured a South Korean tourist in an attack in Victoria state.

But the swoops in Sydney's central business district have become so frequent the City Council put up the barriers and warning signs along Pitt Street, a busy road in the heart of the area.
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