If you must pass through the area – move quickly – do not run. Wear a hat or carry a stick or umbrella above your head. Cyclists should wear a helmet, dismount and walk through the area. Birds may be less likely to swoop if they think you are watching them.
Staying safe. 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).
Ecologist Carly Campbell said even though it's difficult, it's important not to freak out and run, as that could provoke a further attack. "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.
Swooping is their most common way of scaring off intruders (whether it is humans or other animals). Noisy Miners and wattlebirds will swoop to defend their territory all year round. Silver Gulls, ravens, Australian Pelicans and Laughing Kookaburras will swoop to scavenge food.
Run as fast as you can away from the area that the bird is protecting. Many species will attack if their nests or foraging areas are disturbed, even incidentally. If a bird attacks, it will continue to attack until you leave these areas. Continue to cover your ears while running.
Crows aren't attacking you – they're just being protective parents. Have you ever been swooped or dive-bombed by a crow? Rather than “attacking”, this behaviour is simply a warning from the birds to stay away from their young. They will swoop down from trees, fly close and may even brush against you.
Some magpies display marked preferences for swooping certain people, with some specifically targeting posties and others dive-bombing cyclists. A swoop can catch you unawares and, occasionally, magpie swoops can even cause injury.
Between July to November each year, magpies build their nests and raise their young in a limited area known as a territory. When there are eggs or young in the nest, the males defend their territory from intruders. Some birds do this by swooping which occurs for around six weeks after which the chicks are mature.
The EPA and the NSW branch of the RSPCA will continue to keep their collective eyes peeled for the perpetrator, promising jail time. The maximum penalty for deliberately killing a magpie is two years behind bars.
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.
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."
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.
People who have ornithophobia have an extreme fear of birds. They may worry that birds will attack them and feel as though they're in danger when they see birds. “Ornithos” is the Greek word for bird and “phobos” means fear.
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 a magpie has ever swooped on you, you might find this next part hard to believe. It turns out magpies can and do, form friendships with humans – and not just when they want food.
Or so says Wikipedia, which also claims that the Australian swooping magpie is also a native to southern New Guinea and has been introduced into New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji, where people are also attacked.
“Only 10 per cent of the male magpies actually swoop people and the research suggests it is actually a learned behaviour,” Dooley says. “These birds might have had a bad experience with humans in the past, and they remember that and swoop when humans come near their nest.”
When magpies have formed an attachment they will often show their trust, for example, by formally introducing their offspring. They may allow their chicks to play near people, not fly away when a resident human is approaching, and actually approach or roost near a human.
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.
During the breeding season (spring), some species are protective parents and instinctively protect their territory, nest, and young. Swooping is the most common way of scaring off intruders (whether it is humans or other animals) and this behaviour can last up to six weeks.
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.
In Islamic hadith, reports about Muhammad's sayings and practices, crows are one of the five animals “for which there is no blame on the one who kills them.” On the Faroe Islands, virginal women once had to throw a stone, a bone, and a clump of dirt at a crow for some reason.
2) Can I get West Nile virus from touching a crow? There is no evidence of WNV transmission directly between crows and people according to the CDC. That being said, it's always a good idea to handle any animal (alive or dead) with gloves.
A Crow Staring at You
A crow staring at you may be considered a sign of intuition. This symbolism suggests that you are following your inner wisdom, even if others around you do not understand or agree with your choices. Following this intuition will lead to greater self-awareness and fulfillment.