The short answer: highly unlikely. You might as well write a sign on your helmet asking magpies to stay away, or threaten them with legal action. It's reminiscent of when householders would put plastic bottles of water on their lawn in the belief that it would deter dogs from doing their business.
Use signs to warn others of the location of nests and defence zones, particularly in areas used by children and the elderly. Waving sticks or umbrellas in the air or attaching a brightly coloured flag on a long pole to your bicycle can stop magpies from swooping.
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.
Cable or Zip Ties
The jury is out as to whether these work but it seems to be the more ties the better. This doesn't stop the birds swooping but at least they can't get to your helmet - however your most vulnerable parts, eyes, ears and neck are not protected.
If a magpie tries to swoop you, bend your elbow and bring your forearm close to your head to protect your face. Once your eyes are covered, look down and walk away calmly. Cyclists should also dismount their bikes and proceed on foot through a magpie's attack zone.
Remember, magpies are simply trying to protect their territory. Stay calm, protect your face and walk away quickly. A magpie may become aggressive towards people because it has been harassed in the past. Please do not throw things at magpies or chase them.
Magpies tend to swoop for about six weeks as their mate incubates eggs and while the chicks are very young. That might seem like a long time to avoid being dive-bombed in your own backyard, but there'll be plenty of sunshine left to enjoy after it's over, usually some time in November.
Walk with a stick above your head – but don't wave it. Wear a hat and sunglasses to protect your head and eyes. Walk quickly, but don't run or stop.
Some believe flashing lights scare them off, while others swear a zany wig, sticking eyes to the back of your head or opening an umbrella is the way to go. You could even attach a flag to your bike that is higher than your head.
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 don't seem to notice the eyes, and may attack from the side instead, and don't seem overly bothered by the appearance of cable ties. The only real benefit either strategy offers is some sort of head protection for when a magpie does swoop.
founder Jon Clark also recommends keeping calm in the face of magpie mobbing: “Try and keep eye contact with the birds, that works more often than not—especially if you're walking or running,” he says, “If one swoops and you turn and look at it, keep your eye on it and edge out of its territory.
As mentioned, magpie swooping season occurs during a magpie's mating period, which tends to fall between August and October each year. While it can seem like it drags on forever when you're dreading your commute and trying your best to avoid feathered projectiles, a magpie will usually only swoop for around six weeks.
Watch the bird - or use googly eyes
Mr Galvin said eyeballing a magpie likely to swoop might deter it from diving towards you. "In a lot of cases it will be enough to turn them off." He said many people stuck googly eyes on the back of their helmets so the birds thought they were being watched.
Magpies swoop in spring
During this time, they will defend their nests and chicks, but also defend their surrounding territory. Male adults are using their body language – beak clapping, whooshing above your head and screeching – to warn you to keep away from their eggs or newly-hatched chicks.
Overview. Magpies can swoop from July through to December (usually for about 8 weeks) during the spring while they build nests, lay and protect eggs and raise nestling and fledgling birds. Not all magpies will swoop but some will as a natural instinct to protect their territory (area around their nest) and their young.
Statistics compiled by the community website Magpie Alert suggest that most swooping takes place between August and October. "When the fledglings are out of the nest, the nest defence activity decreases," Ratnayake says.
Unfortunately, another expert noted that this can backfire, given that if you mess up and do “something as minor as looking in the direction of the nest” the magpie will also remember that and pursue you with a vengeance due to their “low tolerance threshold”.
But a magpie "will only swoop when he doesn't know somebody", said Gisela Kaplan, emeritus professor in animal behaviour at the University of New England and author of Bird Minds.
“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.
Use Decoys And Reflective Objects
There's one thing magpies are really scared of – flashing lights. You can keep magpies at bay by placing any reflective object in your yard.
Magpies and the law
Magpies are protected throughout NSW, and it is against the law to kill the birds, collect their eggs, or harm their young. If you feel a magpie is a serious menace, it should be reported to your local council or the nearest NPWS office.