A mother and daughter were left bewildered after a flock of cockatoos stole their lunch.

Phuc Tran Phuoc, 31, and her daughter were on a holiday to Sydney, Australia, from Beijing, China.

During the holiday, they were eating fried chicken and French fries when four cockatoos swooped in and started snacking on their meal.

The four birds were quickly joined by 10 more feathered friends, who took over the table and started feasting on the meal.

Video footage shows Phuc's daughter laughing in shock as a flurry of birds descends to feast on her food.

Phuc said her daughter was "surprised and amazed."

Parrot muggings are common in Australia, with residents sometimes using water pistols or shiny objects to deter hungry birds.