A local council in Sydney’s north west has said a decision to shoot dead a “particularly aggressive magpie” that had allegedly swooped and injured people for years was “not taken lightly”.

The Hills Shire council had received 40 complaints over the past three years, with confirmed injuries, including people sent to hospital as a result of being swooped by the magpie on Old Windsor Road in Bella Vista.

According to Magpie Alert, which collects reports of swooping incidents, several users reported being injured by a swooping magpie in the area.

Screenshot of a Magpie Alert map, showing the density of attacks. Photograph: Magpie Alert

The magpie caused one resident to have a heart attack, the ABC reported.

The story was first reported by News.com.au.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service assessed the bird and found it was “very aggressive” and “uncharacteristically territorial”. The magpie was observed to swoop underneath bike helmets and other deterrents to attack people’s faces.

A council spokesperson said the attacks were not associated with a nest, nor were the attacks limited to swooping season.

Nevertheless, as Australia enters prime swooping season, the council decided to take the magpie out.

The council tried to move the bird, but when that failed, it took out a permit to kill the magpie.

“Council does not usually take action to remove or destroy magpies – the usual procedure is to signpost known risk areas, as birds are generally only aggressive for four to six weeks per year,” a council spokesperson said.

“Having regard to the number of complaints, number of confirmed injuries and ongoing risk associated with the location, and after having exhausted all practical alternatives to alleviate the risk, council was issued a permit from the National Parks and Wildlife Service to engage a pest controller who humanely euthanised the bird to prevent further serious injuries.

“This course of action was not taken lightly.”

The spokesperson confirmed the magpie met its demise last Wednesday, with the support of the NSW police.

In spite of — or perhaps because of — its reputation for swooping, the Australian magpie was crowned Australian bird of the year in the 2017 Guardian/Birdlife Australia poll, securing 13.3% of the vote.

Voting for the 2019 bird of the year begins next month.