Although Australian Magpies are not a bird that has yet earned worldwide recognition like the kookaburra, they are infamous in The Land Down Under. The reason for their notoriety? Magpie swooping season.
Yes, magpie swooping season is a time of year with which Aussies are all too familiar. If you’re curious to know more about this memorable time of year, you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to go in-depth on the topic of magpie swooping season by explaining what it is in addition to telling you what you can do to prepare for it. Let’s begin!
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What Is Magpie Swooping Season?
Before I get too far into this article, I should clarify that the star of this article is the Australian Magpie. Now, this magpie is different from the types of magpies found in other parts of the world, as it is in a family with butcherbirds and currawongs rather than crows and jays. Although they are not related to magpies found in other parts of the world, they have similar diets and superficially resemble these birds.
Okay, now that we’ve addressed what a magpie is, I can discuss magpie swooping season. Everyone is surely dying to know more about this topic, so I won’t keep readers waiting. What is magpie swooping season?
Magpie swooping season is the time of year that corresponds to a magpie’s breeding season. During this time, Australian Magpies may become aggressive and attempt to dive bomb or swoop at pedestrians or cyclists.
Although a swooping magpie may sound intimidating, know that not all magpies engage in this behaviour. In fact, studies have found that no more than 9% of Australian Magpies display swooping during the breeding season.
Nonetheless, it is good to be aware of this time of year, as the magpies that are most likely to swoop at people happen to be those who live in urban areas.
You surely have more questions about magpie swooping season, so let’s move on to another topic. When do magpies swoop?
When Is Magpie Swooping Season?
To avoid any magpie swooping injuries, you will certainly want to know more about the timing of the swooping season. Therefore, when is magpie swooping season, and when do magpies stop swooping?
Recall that swooping season takes place during the breeding season of Australian Magpies. Breeding can take place any time between June through January thanks to the varied climates and habitats of Australia. However, the magpies that typically participate in swooping are likely to breed between July through November.
Therefore, magpie swooping usually ceases around August or September in most areas of Australia. So, that addressed when to expect a swooping magpie, but I’ve not yet addressed why this behaviour exists in the first place. Why do magpies swoop?
Why Do Magpies Swoop?
Being the victim of a magpie attack can be a startling and alarming experience. Indeed, it may anger you that this bird is seemingly attacking for no good reason, but do magpies truly attack for no reason? Why do magpies swoop?
Well, a swooping magpie is more noble than many would assume, as these birds are defending their chicks when they go on the attack. Yes, although you may have no clue that you’re near a magpie nest, you may become the victim of an attack if you get too close to a nest.
This behaviour is not reserved for people. No, magpies will swoop at a variety of animals that get too close to their nest or babies. Anything that a magpie perceives as a threat may become the victim of a swooping episode.
A swooping magpie is not set on harming their target, rather, they merely want to drive the intruder away from the vicinity of their nest.
It’s hard to hold a grudge against magpies when they are simply trying to protect their young. Still, those who have been the target of a magpie attack may want to know more about their assailants. Do male or female magpies swoop?
Do Male Or Female Magpies Swoop?
Australian magpies are sexually dimorphic, but the differences between the sexes are very subtle. Therefore, the average observer cannot discern if male or female magpies are responsible for swooping. So, do male or female magpies swoop?
Most would assume that mom and dad magpie split up the swooping responsibilities. However, this is not at all the case. In fact, males are almost exclusively responsible for swooping, with females rarely participating.
This swooping dynamic is likely the result of how the magpie parenting system has evolved. Within this system, females are the ones who primarily tend to the young, while males are tasked with defending the nest.
Males magpies are not aggressive year-round. Rather, they can become aggressive during the breeding season when their testicles enlarge and they become full of testosterone.
Do Magpies Swoop At Night?
Swooping during the day is one thing, but some fear that magpies swoop at night. Are these fears founded in any truth, or are they merely tall tales? Do magpies swoop at night?
No, magpies do not tend to swoop at night. You see, these birds are diurnal, so they typically try to sleep when it’s dark outside. Now, this won’t stop people from claiming to have been attacked by a magpie at night. Yes, just like some claim to have been attacked by hawks at night, saying that you’ve been attacked by a magpie at night makes for a compelling yet unfounded story.
Although magpies don’t tend to swoop at night, don’t tempt these birds by knowingly approaching a nest after dark. You are far more likely to be left alone if you do not try to engage with these birds.
How To Avoid Magpie Swooping
If you’re curious about how to stop a magpie swooping, you’re not alone. Many–understandably–wish to avoid falling victim to a swooping magpie, but can anything be done to prevent an attack? Let’s learn about how to avoid magpie swooping.
If you’ve got a regular route that you like to walk or cycle, try to map out where the magpie nests are during the nest-building process. Magpies will not swoop during nest construction, as there are not yet any eggs or young to protect. Therefore, if you can note where a magpie’s nest is before the eggs are laid, you can stay away from it during times in which a magpie may swoop.
Of course, magpie swoops are often unpredictable, leading many to wonder how to avoid magpie swooping when it isn’t expected. What can be done in this instance?
Well, the best thing to do when you’re ambushed by a swooping magpie would be to leave the area as soon as possible. If you’ve got a backpack, purse, or umbrella, use this item to cover your head. Otherwise, muster up the courage to face the magpie assailant while backing away from the area. This may seem intimidating, but it is one of the best ways to avoid magpie swooping, as these birds rarely attack individuals who face them directly.
Cyclists are often subjected to the worst magpie attacks every year, as their fast movements can seem very threatening to magpies. Those attacked by magpies while riding their bikes may want to pedal away as fast as possible. However, the best thing to do would be to dismount from a bike and walk your bike out of the area. This may not seem like it would be a good choice, but you will be deemed far less threatening by a magpie if you do this.
Although most magpies just swoop near their targets, some make contact with people or animals. If you do try to flee the scene with your back to a magpie, covering your eyes should be a priority.
Are Magpies Dangerous?
After reading about magpie swooping season and getting a better understanding of magpie behaviour, you may be thinking that magpies are seemingly dangerous birds, but is this reality? Are magpies dangerous?
I’ve written several articles that have evaluated whether certain birds are dangerous. For instance, I’ve discussed the danger of vultures and hawks in past articles. In every case other case that I’ve covered to this point, I have written about how people have made certain birds out to be more dangerous than they truly are. However, I’m not going to do that this time around, as magpies pose a sincere danger to those who don’t know how to respond to their swooping.
The numbers speak for themselves; thousands of people are attacked by magpies every year. There’s even an online magpie attack database to keep track of the staggering annual attack numbers.
Now, I will point out that the majority of magpie attacks do not inflict any damage. However, magpies have been known to cause injury. Some only sustain a scratch, while others have been known to lose eyes to magpie attacks. There have even been three freak accidents that have resulted in loss of life from magpie attacks. Therefore, people should take these birds seriously and recognize the legitimate threat that they pose.
Are Magpies Protected?
Although most Aussies have a soft spot for magpies despite the terror that they can cause at certain times, some have a disdain for these creatures. This may prompt some to wish to harm magpies, but these individuals would have to consider the legality of such action. Are magpies protected?
Yes, magpies are a native Australian bird that is protected under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. This legislation gives magpies full protected status in Australia, meaning that harming them or their nest is a severe offence that is punishable by fines or jail time.
Although some birds such as rosellas may be culled in some parts of Australia because of the crop damage that they inflict, these circumstances generally do not apply to magpies.
Like them or not, magpies aren’t going anywhere in Australia.