A 53-year-old was tending to his elderly neighbour’s grapevines at the back of his house just after 8am yesterday when a Brno .22 bolt action rifle was fired and hit his lower leg.

The victim was taken to Bendigo Health with a minor gunshot wound and is expected to fully recover.

Sergeant Jason Bourke said the landowner’s view was obscured by the position of the grapevine, which is in a gully and is covered by trees.

He was also confused by his neighbour’s white clothes.

“The neighbour normally helps out with the grapevines but he attended the vines earlier than normal,” Sergeant Bourke said.

“The other man came out and because of the position of the backyard, his vision was obscured by the trees and he saw white flapping and thought it was a cockatoo.

“There was no malice or cruelty involved. He really didn’t intend to hurt him.”

Sergeant Bourke said the victim was in good spirits despite the ordeal.

“He is in good spirits and is just really lucky it wasn’t worse.”

Bendigo Health said the man was in a stable condition.