Readers beware: that most dreaded time of year is upon us once again.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
It's magpie swooping season and believe us when we say you don't want to get caught in the "zone".
So using your reports - and taking into account some of the sites we already know about - the Leader has mapped out the danger zones.
You can thank us later!
Read Also:
Why do they swoop?
During the months of July to December, female magpies will begin to nest, lay eggs, and incubate them. When this happens, the male magpies switch to protection mode, and will ward off any potential threats to their chicks through the act of "swooping".
Griffith University urban behavioural ecologist Professor Darryl Jones said 90 per cent of the magpie population never actually swoop, in reality only 10 per cent of magpie pairs will.
"They judge the person who is coming towards the nest tree as a threat and it only happens when there is chicks in the nest," he said.
"It is a serious problem, because people can end up being severely injured."
Typically, September is the peak of swooping season.
The magpie attacks are random, Professor Jones said, however for some unknown reason, the native birds seem to be specific in their targets.
"There are pedestrian magpies, there are cyclist magpies, and postie magpies - who only attack the postmen," he said.
"The specialities do not swap over, so for instance the pedestrian magpies will not attack a postie. But, cyclist magpies will attack every cyclist and postie magpies will attack every postie, but interestingly not every pedestrian is attacked."
The reason, he explained, is they can normally distinguish around 20-30 people that live within their territory, but if one person is deemed a threat, they will be repeatedly attacked.
"What happens in a busy place with 100 people walking through is that they don't know everyone and consider them all strangers, so they'll go after everyone," he said.
According to the National Magpie Alert in 2023, there have already been 216 reported incidents nationwide, 32 of which have occurred in NSW.
What are some things you can do to survive this swooping season?
Here are the top four ways to limit the chances of being swooped:
- Remember, there are distinct zones of danger. If you hear about or know of a magpie who is swooping, the best thing to do is keep away.
- Look out for council signs that alert you to the swooping zones. Magpies will only attack if you come within 100 metres of their nest.
- Look and listen for the early warning signs. The first warning is the call to keep away; they will then fly over your head or close to you, but will not swoop; and the final course of action is to swoop if you get too close.
- If you do get caught in a feathering situation, protect your face and head, as they are aiming for your eyes. To reduce the risk of injury, wear a hat or glasses, or have an umbrella or helmet on hand.
"They will only swoop you from behind as they want to sneak up on you," Professor Jones said.
"If you can spot the magpie look them dead in the eye and back away from the area."
Did we miss a swooping zone? Leave us a tip in the comments below for any reports of a new magpie swooping spot.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News