A man who was hospitalised after a magpie attack in far north Queensland said the bird had been stalking him for months.

Ryan Priestley from Atherton, west of Cairns, was swooped by the airborne assailant as he rode his bike to the nursery where he works, crashed onto the road and shattered his wrist.

The gardener underwent surgery at the Cairns Hospital earlier this week, where he had a titanium plate inserted into his wrist.

It is not his first-run in with the angry bird on his 5-kilometre ride to work.

"He's had it in for me for months," Mr Priestley said.

"Every time I'd ride to work he'd be there, just waiting to attack.

"He was scaring the crap out of me."

So fed up with the daily attacks, Mr Priestley stopped riding to work for two months in the hope the bird might forget him.

Ryan Priestley stopped riding to work until he got this birthday present. ( Supplied: Ryan Priestley )

He researched the breeding cycles of magpies and even conducted a reconnaissance mission on foot to see if the bird was still in the area.

That mission came off without incident so when he was gifted a new mountain bike for his birthday he decided to again take his chances.

"I took my umbrella with me and thought I'll get off my bike and put it up if I see him, " he said.

"I'm riding along, I look to my left up at the powerline and he's staring at me and he just flew for me.

"He came at my left ear, I ducked my head down and tried to avoid him and then bam, I've crashed on the middle of the highway".

He said the magpie did not manage to make contact with him.

The 'Magpie Alert' swooping map has so far recorded 3,995 attacks and 558 injuries in Australia in 2019. ( ABC News )

"In hindsight I should have just let him get me but it was a split second decision."

Mr Priestley said he got off the highway and popped up the umbrella.

"The magpie was just sitting there on the power box, just happily looking at me."

Mr Priestley said doctors said he would make a full recovery.

"At the time I was like, that f**ing magpie," he said.

"But I guess it's funny now.

"I just wish I could talk to him and explain that I just want to get to work, I'm not out to get him.

"I've given up on the ride now, I'm just going to drive," he said.

The Magpie Alert site collates reports of magpie attacks around Australia.

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