Magpie swooping season
Magpie swooping season here in North East Victoria generally runs from grand final weekend (late September) to the Melbourne Cup (early November).
I haven’t been swooped yet this year, but I’ve seen people walking with sticks held above their heads, which is normally a good indicator to be wary.
There are some common myths about magpies. These include:
* They only swoop if they’ve had bad experiences with people;
* They swoop people wearing particular colors;
* Wearing fake eyes on the back of your hat or helmet stops them swooping.
I don’t think any of them are true. I’ve never tried the fake eyes, but I’ve been swooped wearing all sorts of colors and I’ve been swooped in remote places where few people ever travel.
Not all magpies swoop. In fact, I’d say it’s a minority. Perhaps it’s something genetic. My advice is:
1) Avoid known swoopers if you can.
2) Wear a helmet if you’re riding a bike.
3) Wave a stick above your head when under attack.
I'm a 41-year-old father of four working as a newspaper editor at Mount Gambier in South Australia.
September 26th, 2005 at 2:24 pm
Is it silly to do the bbq at the park now then? Or do we need to wear helmet to do bbq at the park? That would make us look silly. Thanks!
September 26th, 2005 at 3:17 pm
I’ve never known a magpie to swoop a barbecue, although tame ones will sometimes come looking for a feed. Feel safe to enjoy!
September 27th, 2005 at 11:25 am
Interesting that Magpies start swooping around grand final time. Is that because they’ve usually got nothing better to do, as their season usually finishes in round 22 at the end of August?
October 4th, 2005 at 3:15 pm
What do you do when the magpie is swooping in your backyard? Do I have to keep my four kids inside for the whole swooping season?
October 4th, 2005 at 3:51 pm
Unni, keep them inside. On the verandah and under trees should be safe though. We’ve found that town birds are generally less aggressive than ones on the fringe.
September 18th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
Ive been swooped so many times! its so so scary seeing a magpie flying right at you and then hearing it hit your helmet! Ive never tried the eyes on my head or a stick, I only havnt tried it as Im too scared to try it!
August 29th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
i always get swooped when im alone but when somone else is with me they dont do it
August 29th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Walking in groups didn’t work for me, unfortunately. My worst experience was on a bike when a particular bird kept attacking me ferociously for nearly a kilometer.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:21 pm
i just recently got swooped today.. 3 times
unfortunately i have to walk past a nesting area twice a day and today was my first experience of the magpie attack and sadly it left a very unattractive stratch down my face.
do you think that shiny silver things in particular catch their eye?
yeah, it’s a theory, but i’d love to know if it’s true. i had my ipod with me and i was curious =|
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Some birds ignore people, others just go through the motions of a token swoop and some are fiercely aggressive. You just can’t pick it.
The only protection, I reckon, is to wave a stick above your head.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
hey there,
the other day i was riding my bike to work…i have never in my life been swooped by a Maggie..but i was swooped twice.
I was waring a red helmet, and the first time i was by myself and got swooped, so thought on the way home ill go on the other side of the road which was quiet a big gap between them but i still got swooped but there was a man with his blue heeler who was walking close by me and they never got attacked. it didn’t matter how far i rode, the damn bird still would get me…i was thinking would it swoop bikes thinking its just another bird??? anyway i was thinking of placing a stick on top of my helmet somehow..i know i may look stupid but least i can ride to work n wont get attacked?????
September 17th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Hi everyone, i’ve just had my licence suspended and unfortunitly have to ride to work now a days. It takes me 1 hour to ride into work & most days get attacked by Magpies at least 3 times on my way. My brother gave me a great idea of straping a cable tie to my helmet with the long end up while angled back 45 degrees. You know what…. it works! The magpies were always hitting my helmet but seems now they come in contact with the cable tie and fly away. They do come back to see what the hell it was that they flu into but they don’t attack my helmet anymore. Yes, we may look silly to motorist but its us out there against them. Just looks like you have a antenna sticking out of your helmet. Try it and let us know…. Hope this helps. Creedy
September 20th, 2008 at 9:40 am
ive been attacked 5 times its so scary now i never walk in my road in swooping season
what should i do????
September 20th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Creedy’s theory sounds good to me. Physical deterrence is all these birds understand. You can’t reason with them, so you may as well threaten to whack them.
September 20th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
kk is there anything else i can do thouhg?
September 20th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Hi again everyone, I think (annonomus) if you can travel with a back pack on (school bag size) so when your getting attacked placing it over your head will give u enough cover from being pecked in the head. Try that and let us know matey. Creedy
September 20th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
hey creedy
im to scared 2 try it out
but my friend n i r going to try it our tomorrow
IM DEATHLY SCARED of magpies n my friends tease me bout it WHATEVER WILL I DO IM GOING THROUGH DEPRESSIOIN OVER MAGPIES PLEASEEE HELP ME LOVE
im getting old n i dont wanna loose my eye site!!
xoxo
September 21st, 2008 at 3:11 pm
hey
guys i was at my friend today and we were on her driveway
and a magpie swooped us n then went n then out of no where swooped us again and we ran n it was so SCARY im soo scare of magpies what should i do?
thanx xoxo
September 21st, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Well Malissa magpies have a very good memory and remember where you were swooped and what you were wearing. My suggestion is a stick, maybe wave it above your head. Also try to wear different colours of clothes daily that might confuse it.
September 21st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
o ok thanx but is it true that red attracts magpies?? i really dont no what do 2 because magpies FREAK ME OUT!
September 27th, 2008 at 12:02 am
I started riding to the station again this week for the first time this year. Bad time to start as it turns out. I was attacked on the first morning within 20 seconds into my trip, I didn’t now what had happened,I thought I had hit something but instead turned around to see a magpie flapping wildly coming in for another attack. The offending magpies live in a small reserve next to my house so I cannot avoid passing them. I am being attacked every time I approach or leave my house and today I was hit twice and they got me good, later assessment showed I was bleeding from a peck strike less than 2cm from my eye. I was lucky. I will not underestimate them in future, I will try walking my bike as I am approaching or leaving my house and keep an eye out for maggies. I also have a small pump on my bike I may try swinging at them.
September 27th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
I’ve never had a run in with magpies before but I’ve just moved to a new area and they are everywhere. Last week I was taking my 4 mth old for a walk in the pram and a magpie swooped us. I was absolutely petrified and now I’m too scared to take my daughter out again.
I had a baby blanket with me and started swinging it above my head. It seemed to do the trick but as soon as I stopped, the magpie started to swoop again. i walked all the way down my street swinging a blanket above ny head.
September 27th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
They seem to be getting worse. Rochelle, waving something at them is the only defence, I think.
October 17th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
like today, i used a umberella n i wasnt swooped but then i took it of and i was
i dunno what 2 do anymore!!
mwah