Aside from their overactive sense of danger, magpies are fairly intelligent birds which can recognise and remember human faces, and won't attack people they don't consider threats.
Male Magpies swoop people because they are protecting their chicks, but also because the person walking or riding by reminds the bird of someone who disturbed them in the past. Magpies have very long memories. There is a lot to love about these distinctive Australian birds.
Deterrents for magpies
Half-full plastic bottles or CDs hung up in trees to scare the predators away. Magpies don't like the way light reflects from the surface. GuardnEyes scarecrow balloon, available from Dazer UK. It may be possible to deter them by playing a tape of a crow or rook distress call.
A key reason why friendships with magpies are possible is that we now know that magpies are able to recognise and remember individual human faces for many years. They can learn which nearby humans do not constitute a risk. They will remember someone who was good to them; equally, they remember negative encounters.
Interesting fact: It's true, magpies remember your face. They 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.
Magpies are 'like dogs'
"They will form very long friendships, like dogs," she said. "They will introduce their young [to you] and they will be the most charming birds. "Even during the breeding season you can come close to them because they know you'll do no harm."
Some Magpie meaning is dualistic; on the one hand, Magpie brings luck, love, and lasting prosperity. On the other, the Bird's appearance might mean deception and fraud. Here, Magpie reminds you that everything in life has two sides, and sometimes what you see depends on where you look!
Wear a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses or shelter under an umbrella to protect your face from swooping magpies (painting or sticking large 'eyes' on the back of your hat can also deter magpies—but this won't work for cyclists).
Like dogs, magpies seem to sense fear and may capitalise on this by pressing on with harassing any perceived threat. Occasionally, a magpie will actually strike an intruder on the head with its bill. While such strikes are rare, magpies can inflict serious injuries.
Australian Magpies are strongly territorial and defend their territories both from other magpies as well as potential predators. Unfortunately, some individual magpies perceive humans as a potential threat and accordingly, swoop down with a fast warning flight, occasionally making contact.
"If you're getting swooped, the main thing you want to do is try to quickly and calmly move out of their space," Ms Campbell said. "Usually, they only swoop 100 metres around their nest so generally if you move away quickly and calmly, they will stop swooping you.
Since time immemorial, it is believed that a single magpie always brings bad luck and magpies in a pair (two Magpies) bring joy or are positive.
They are considered a messenger of good luck and are known as “birds of joy." For instance, if you see a magpie or if a magpie builds a nest near your home, that may be an indication and positive omen of incoming success and good news.
The months following fledging are a dangerous time for young magpies, with a high percentage failing to make it through the first year. If the young birds survive to breed, their average life expectancy is around three years. Some live much longer than this, with the oldest recorded being more than 21 years old.
They can also feel, have empathy and even grieve for the death of a partner; magpies in particular, apart from parrots, can form long-term friendships with humans or their dogs.
“It's the birds responding to things they perceive as threats. That includes humans, dogs, cats, snakes and anything else the magpie decides is a threat to its chicks.” That might also include other magpies.
Most will not swoop you. Magpies see cats, dogs and other magpies as intruders - it's not just people they swoop. Harassment by humans causes some magpies to start swooping. Please do not chase magpies or throw things at them.
Natural predators of magpies include various species of monitor lizard and the barking owl. Birds are often killed on roads or electrocuted by powerlines, or poisoned after killing and eating house sparrows or mice, rats or rabbits targeted with baiting.
Magpies are smart, extremely territorial and will swoop riders from up to 100m away from their nest.
Although magpies will peck around in the soil looking for insects, the main garden damage is done to the lawn where they create holes while looking for grubs, such as leatherjackets and chafer grubs. That being said, magpies are a useful control for these two root-eating plant pests.
Birds sometimes attack windows and especially tinted glass, by pecking or striking them. This is usually because they can see their own reflection, and think it is a challenger for their territory.
In order to ward off bad luck, greet the sight of a lone Pica pica with the words: 'Good morning, Mr Magpie, how are Mrs Magpie and all the other little magpies? '
To help ward off the bad luck that might come your way from seeing a solitary magpie there are a number of things you can do: Salute the magpie. Say 'Good morning general' or 'Good morning captain'. Say 'Good morning Mr Magpie, how is your lady wife today?