The Department for Environment and Water (DEW) has issued its annual warning that the magpie breeding season has arrived and with it the danger of swooping.
Principal Ecologist for DEW, Karl Hillyard said magpies swooped to ward of threats to their young.
Dr Hillyard said the magpie breeding season was usually between August and October, with females typically laying between three and five eggs in early to mid-August and sitting on them for three weeks until they hatched.
“Some male magpies defend their nests from the time the eggs are laid until the young birds are ready to fly, and they will attack anything they consider to be a threat, from another bird to a dog or a human,” Dr Hillyard said.
“Magpies have excellent recall for faces and very long memories, so if you’ve been swooped before, or even if you just look like someone they swooped last year, you’re likely to get the same treatment again.”
Dr Hillyard said magpies only defended their nests within about a 100 metre radius, so the best way to avoid them was to take a detour around known nest sites if possible.
He said if a change of route was not possible, some tactics to avoid being swooped included: Travelling in groups as swooping birds usually only targeted individuals; carry an open umbrella above your head; Wearing sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat; If you ride a bike, walk it through magpie territory or have a flag on the back of the bike that is higher than your head; Do not act aggressively; Walk, don’t run; Avoid making eye contact with the birds; and Do not feed swooping magpies as this may only encourage swooping behaviour.
Further information on the magpie swooping season can be accessed at this PS News link.
