Australian magpies breed from late July to December, which means that swooping season stretches across half the year. But it peaks when magpie chicks hatch in September and early October.
When is magpie swooping season? September is peak magpie swooping season. However, the birds typically nest from July to December and have been known to swoop then too. Magpies tend to swoop for about six weeks as their mate incubates eggs and while the chicks are very 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.
Almost all swoops on people are carried out by male magpies defending their eggs and chicks, which are in the nest for about six to eight weeks between July and November. Magpies often become more aggressive as the chicks become older, but swooping usually stops once the young have left the nest.
When there are eggs or young in the nest, the male and sometimes the female birds defend their territory from intruders. Some birds do this by swooping. Swooping occurs for around six weeks. Only a few magpies see people as a threat.
Mr Dooley says the one “foolproof” way to make sure you're not swooped is by feeding magpies. “That's the way to a magpie's heart,” he said. “You don't want to give them junk food … fresh meat is the best or even dog biscuits, especially if they're soaked in a bit of water.”
In a series of experiments, British scientists debunked the common myth that magpies are inveterate trinket thieves. They found that far from being attracted to shiny objects, the black and white birds tended to avoid them.
Dawn and dusk are when you're likely to see birds displaying bolder behaviour, as it is generally a quieter period in terms of human traffic. One of the best ways to get a good shot at a magpie is to catch it while it is eating.
"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.
August to November is nesting season for magpies and occasionally male magpies become territorial to protect their young and may swoop if they think the nest or offspring are in danger. If you are swooped by a magpie, stay calm, do not run and avoid looking towards swooping birds.
According to the Department of Environment and Science Queensland, prime swooping season occurs in the six to eight week period the birds nest between July and October. Magpies essentially swoop to protect their young, becoming more aggressive as the chicks hatch and age.
Magpies love:
Open woodlands with tall trees but no understory. Big, old trees which give them somewhere safe to build their nests and sleep at night.
Magpie swooping is generally a defensive action taken when someone unknown approaches who the magpie believes intends harm. It is not an arbitrary attack.
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.
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. The Australian raven may take nestlings left unattended.
Magpies have several predators including domestic cats, dogs, foxes, and owls. Also, they can have eggs as well as chicks stolen out of their nest by raccoons, hawks, weasels, and mink.
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.
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.
“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.
It's not just humans that Magpies see as a threat to their young. It's for this reason that dogs and cats can also attract their wrath. To protect your pets as much as possible: Make sure dogs are on-leash when walking through a Magpie's territory.
And since magpies can live between 25 and 30 years and are territorial, they can develop lifelong friendships with humans. This bond can extend to trusting certain people around their offspring.
"I would say no to dairy products, and if you have to feed other treats [give magpies] a teeny-tiny amount of oats and maybe a teeny-tiny amount of nuts in miniscule proportions. "I wouldn't recommend bread because it's a carbohydrate and it's not really what they're designed to eat in the wild."
The diet of a magpie
Their main diet in summer is grassland invertebrates, such as beetles, flies, caterpillars, spiders, worms and leatherjackets. In winter, they eat more plant material, such as wild fruits, berries and grains, with household scraps and food scavenged from bird tables or chicken runs, pet foods etc.