Zoo happy snap led to ‘bizarre’ bird attack

A SUNSHINE Coast university student will need to have an artificial lens fitted to his right eye after it was speared by a wild darter bird perched on a railing at Australia Zoo at Beerwah.

The freak accident happened last Thursday in the open wetlands area of the zoo, which is frequented by wild ducks, herons and other waterbirds.

Similar to a cormorant, the darter’s thin beak popped Owen Vagg’s eye cornea and lens, releasing his eye fluid.

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