Could you stand still and stare down a flying animal with its beak coming for you?
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The change to warmer weather has its positives, but it is the season when a certain bird turns aggressive.
![River Smyth and Rachael Bannister were brave enough to snap a pic in the magpie zone outside Tamworth Public School. Picture by Peter Hardin River Smyth and Rachael Bannister were brave enough to snap a pic in the magpie zone outside Tamworth Public School. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/164349425/de024016-fbb0-440b-8108-5f9a21315bd6.jpg/r0_0_5395_3597_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Magpies incubate during the last cold snaps of winter, so chicks enter the world in a good condition, said Professor Paul McDonald from UNEs animal behaviour and ecology lab.
![A sign near Tamworth Public School warns passersby about an aggressive bird. Picture by Peter Hardin A sign near Tamworth Public School warns passersby about an aggressive bird. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36FM9qHpEAtS8daVXYFgHBA/8d44c349-2bfc-461e-a69c-67493504229f.jpg/r0_240_4506_2894_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Outside Tamworth Public School near Anzac Park is an infamous swooping spot.
Rachael Bannister is one of many to speak to the school about a solution.
She said umbrellas have been used as a deterrent.
![Angry birds: how to avoid magpies this swooping season Angry birds: how to avoid magpies this swooping season](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36FM9qHpEAtS8daVXYFgHBA/aae1d1e0-8a19-4878-acd7-d965808b6e83.jpg/r0_134_2574_1582_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I've also seen the magpies come to the ground and come back under them and try to attack faces," she said.
"I think they're smarter than we are."
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Professor McDonald's tips included avoiding the urge to run away.
"Turning and facing the bird is often a good strategy, they will often not swoop if they can see your face," he said.
"Then just moving slowly out of the territory is probably the best thing to do in the short term.
"If you go running off screaming, it reinforces that the more it swoops, the quicker the thing it's trying to get rid of, leaves.
"It's probably making the swooping behaviour worse over time."
![Magpie season is underway. Picture by Peter Hardin Magpie season is underway. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/164349425/58abb3b8-9edf-4f97-b7a6-ac8f70b7f091.jpg/r0_0_2574_1714_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Thi Thuy Ha Tran was walking down Brisbane Street in front of the school when she was swooped twice in a matter of minutes, and hit in the back of the head.
She has avoided the area ever since last season.
She said not much else can be done.
"I think for that moment, just run away."
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