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.
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.
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.
From 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 male and sometimes the female birds defend their territory from intruders. Some birds do this by swooping. Swooping occurs for around six weeks.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
Butcherbirds are known to swoop during the annual spring breeding season (from September to November). Swooping stops once the young have left the nest, so it's only a problem for a few weeks.
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. Hunting and eating insects. Mimicking other birds' calls, car alarms, dogs barking, phones ringing and even human voices.
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.
Myth 2: Magpies target certain colours
None of the research about magpies to date has found that magpies target specific colours, such as orange, yellow or purple. Instead, it is widely believed that they swoop purely to protect their young.
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.
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.
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”.
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 best methods for getting rid of magpies include covering fruit and veggies with nets, covering food sources, using bird feeders, using reflecting objects, getting rid of bird baths, placing a scarecrow, and using bird tape and decoys.
Meet the Magpie Menace
Tourists visiting Australia often arrive terrified of the country's deadly wildlife, from snakes to saltwater crocs to the mythical, man-eating drop bears. Meanwhile, Australians are more afraid of the magpies.
During breeding season (Spring and early Summer), Magpies often view people, other animals, or vehicles as a potential threat to their young, which sometimes triggers swooping. If contact is made this can cause injury.
Magpies normally sleep during darkness, but if you're in an area with a lot of artificial light, they have been known to stay awake due to that light. It's possible that you got swooped on by a magpie if you're in a busy part of a city, but very unlikely if you're out in a remote area.
The most well-known bird for displaying swooping behaviour is the Australian magpie, however other species of native birds have also been known to swoop including the masked lapwing (plover), butcherbird, magpie-lark (pee-wee), little friarbird, torresian crow and noisy miner.