We hate to say it, but it's that time of year again. Cyclists, runners and walkers — keep your eyes up and beware, because magpie swooping season has started early in parts of Australia. If your heart rate doubles at the thought of being chased down by an angry black-and-white flurry of feathers, join the club. But don't worry, with a little bit of know-how you can avoid taking a peck to the eye (ouch).
When does magpie swooping season start?
Swooping season usually peaks in September, but thanks to climate change, our magpie mates have started breeding ahead of time. As the weather begins to warm up, the eagle-eyed birds build nests, incubate eggs and raise their young. At the start of spring magpies will ruthlessly protect their babies, even from innocent passers-by, and unfortunately they don't care if it ends in a swollen eye or bloody gash.
On the positive side, only eight to ten per cent of magpies actually swoop humans. And luckily, most swooping incidents don't end in injury (but are still bloody scary).
How do you avoid getting swooped by a magpie?
Should you ever find yourself in a feathery face-off, make sure you walk briskly but calmly past the magpie's territory. The best way to protect yourself is by wearing shades, a hat and a helmet — or you can even use an umbrella as shield if you have to walk past the swooping zone again. Keep your eyes on the magpie until you've reached safety, as they are less likely to swoop if they can see you're staring them down.
If you're on a bike, tying flags and streamers to your ride will ward them off and attaching sticks to your helmet or backpack will make you less swoop-able.