“This is magpie season and I just want people to be cautious when walking,” he said.

Mr Fearnley has been riding the same 30 km route around Moree for the past five months to get into shape. He said as winter rolled into warmer spring weather, it was an ideal time for Magpies to start nesting.

“I have come across a couple of magpies that have swooped over my head, but they seemed to calm down afterwards.”

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Though, this time around was different.

Mr Fearnley was 40 minutes into his routine bike ride around Moree on Tuesday, when a magpie attacked him on the corner of Hassel Street and Greenbah Road.

“About a week ago, the same magpie had come down from the tree and tried to attack my ears,” he said.

Mr Fearnley wore makeshift ear guards to protect his ears, though it only seemed to spur on the two-winged creature.

“It just went straight for my face,” he said.

The magpie managed to pierce Mr Fearnley’s skin and left the right side of his face caked in blood. Although he said it was only a small scratch, it could have been more damaging if it was anyone younger.

“If it was a small child, their skin is a lot softer and I’m sure it would have been worse,” he said.

Mr Fearnley has spoken to pedestrians who walk the same route, whether they have been attacked. Though he says that all the walkers and people with prams haven’t had a problem. It’s got him wondering if the magpie has it in for cyclists.

“The magpie is very protective of its nest and there’s nothing you can do about that,” he said.

Mr Fearnley has since changed his route to avoid any more run ins with the birds.