Save yourself from swooping magpies
It’s that time of year again. Spring is here and you’re starting to notice flowers blooming on the trees and bushes and birds singing.
You might also be taking a leisurely walk and bike ride when you hear the all-too-familiar sound of wings flapping furiously and loud squawking as a sharp beak tries to attack you – yep, it’s swooping season.
While having a protective magpie attack you might be terrifying, there are a few ways you can defend yourself.
Why magpies swoop
Most birds, including magpies swoop, to protect their eggs and young during the breeding season. They use body language – swooping, screeching and beak clapping – to warn other birds, animals and humans to keep away from their nest.
While the female magpie lays the eggs, the father will defend the nest from any predators until the young birds are fledged. Fun fact, 90 per cent of male magpies don’t swoop and the females won’t at all.
Where you might find swooping magpies
Large birds such as magpies will nest in large trees and may also sit on power poles and streetlights as perches. Smaller birds usually nest in dense scrub or even grassland.
Territorial birds will generally limit their protective behaviour to between 100m and 200m of their nest.
Protect yourself
With one in 10 magpies swooping, you probably still want to know how to protect yourself if you’re swooped.
You can do the following to try to protect yourself from swooping birds:
- Give magpies a wide berth. If you’re out walking, riding or running and know of a swooping bird on your regular route, change course for six to eight weeks.
- Don’t run or stop. If you’re swooped, don’t try to run away, and if you’re on a bike, get off and walk quickly through the area.
- Protect your head. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and glasses and carry an umbrella to stop the magpies pecking at you with their beak.
- Walk in a group. Walk or ride in a group as swooping birds usually target individuals.
- Attach flags or cable ties. Cyclists can clip brightly coloured flags to their bike to fly above their heads or attach cable ties to their helmet to discourage magpies from swooping.
Keep your cool
Avoid fighting back or being aggressive towards swooping birds as they will see you as a threat to their nest. Remember, magpies can remember and recognise you, so you want to stay in their good books.