An American mum living in Australia has filmed the terrifying moment she was stalked by a savage Bush Stone-curlew bird.

The encounter, which was filmed and shared on TikTok where it quickly went viral, showed the bird aggressively hissing at the woman on a suburban Brisbane street.

The woman warned: “Everyone is scared of Australian sharks and spiders but it’s the birds you should be afraid of” before instructing her daughter to “get into the car”.

The video has been viewed over 13 million times.

One person asked, “Why is the bird hissing like a snake?”

Another empathised: “I have plovers in my street with babies and they are chase me down the whole street while I’m trying to get to work.”

“I’ve never seen an Australian video that doesn’t have you guys running or screaming about an animal, insect or reptile,” a third quipped.

Griffith University professor of ecology Professor Daryl Jones told news.com.au that the bird was likely hissing because it was protecting a baby or eggs.

“They are really effective at keeping predators from their eggs,” he said.

“If you see a bird hissing like that somewhere nearby is a baby or eggs which you cannot see because they are absolutely camouflaged.”

Prof Jones said the birds are common in southern Australia and have moved into urban areas.

“They have lost all fear of humans,” he said.

“To make it in the city, eat the food and make the most of the opportunities they have to lose their fear of humans.”

He described them as a“strange, weird, big bird that has moved into Brisbane everywhere.”

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As for advice dealing with them?

“Just keep away from them,” he said firmly.

carla.mascarenhas@news.com.au

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