Statistics show that only about 12% of male magpies actually show this kind of aggression though, so don’t judge a maggie by his back colour. The best thing to do though is simply to avoid the area if you know of an aggressive male. Remember to keep facing the bird as you walk out of their territory some birds will swoop as soon as you look away. READ MORE: Where magpies swooped last year This was the only attack reported in Orange, meanwhile in Bathurst there have been five reported. “Riders beware as it attacks silently before making it’s presence known resulting in quite a scare. Pesky magpies! User name CD said the recent attack took place on Bedgerabong Road. But the Europeans must’ve spent too long on a ship because they really don’t look very similar at all, aside from being black and white. suggest ‘Top ten tips to protect yourself against swooping magpies’. Sign up to receive our Breaking News Alerts and Editor's Daily Headlines featuring the best local news and stories. Our Melbourne maggies are sexually dimorphic – the males and females are easy to tell apart. Breeding Season: - February to April in the south, or August to September in the north. Receive our free newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning, as well as breaking news alerts. In Dubbo, a swooping magpie on Glenabbey Drive resulted in another report on the website. Both sexes are alike although the female is slightly smaller and has a smaller knob above her beak. Male aggression decreases as the chicks grow, so once summer is here you can roam freely once more. Magpie ducks have orange colored legs and feet, but may be mottled. Both sexes are alike although the female is slightly smaller and has a smaller knob above her beak. Face the magpie they tend to attack from behind so facing them should avert an attack. “On both occasions, the bird was quite aggressive and swooped me two or three times despite being away more than 60 meters from the first encounter.”. Do not waddle but move with a quick step. Notes: - The Magpie Goose, or Pied Goose as it is sometimes called, is very distinct from other species of Goose and is a unique member of the order Anseriformes. Lucky for me, it was just in the back of the head. Although both birds are black and white, they are not the same species, nor do they belong in the same genus, or even the same family. With magpie breeding season well underway across the region, many people have taken to social media and the Magpie Alert website to share their stories of attacks and swoops. It’s so bad that the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital felt the need to issue a statement. MAGPIES in Orange might have caused injury, but there have been more attacks in Bathurst, new data shows. ... “One bird swooping and snapping its beak … I am fortunate to live in the foothills of Northern California where the Yellow-billed Magpie is a common site. All three parents will feed their young. Hi all, On my commute yesterday morning I was sat at a set of traffic lights in Dunblane ( Central Scotland), I glanced to my right and was watching the Magpies in the tree about 15-20ft away. If you are swooped while cycling get off of your bicycle, a large number of injuries reported on magpiealert.com are caused by accidents where cyclists fall off during an attack. Both belong to the same order (Passeriformes), but that’s not a very close relationship at all. Alex Randell . Distribution map of Australian magpie subspecies via Wikimedia. Wear sun glasses and with large wide-brimmed hat to protect your head and eyes. Birds such as owls and hawks, which eat meat from larger animals, use their sharp, hooked beaks to tear the meat into small enough bits so that they can swallow it. They're a gardener's dream, a cyclist's nightmare, and according to the Guardian's poll, Australia's bird of the year. Although the magpie did draw blood, it definitely could have been worse. Swooping people is his way of defending his chicks from potential predators – humans. . The drakes have curled feathers on the tail when fully feathered. I usually divert my running route in spring to avoid this particular corner of the park where, in previous years, I have been swooped up to 8 times at once. Mature: long slender bodies and vertical posture. “Quite a pesky little bugger. Shorebirds come in many shapes and sizes, but all of them share certain physical and behavioral traits. Magpiealert.com has the following tips: Receive our free newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up here, https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/yqbYpxNMru7TBX8VR5QF63/8f534f30-f964-450c-9107-874d18035929.jpg/r0_26_900_534_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg, Why you might not be able to watch ABC, SBS on your TV soon, 'Important thing is to stay vigilant': Warnings against complacency on virus, Unlicensed driver crashed into driveway post while moving vehicle, They're back, as good as ever: Bunnings snags back on the Saturday morning menu, Police find firearm after domestic violence assault on woman reported. Among the reported Bathurst attacks, was from a cyclist with the user name of Radio Addict who said while they were not injured in the magpie swoop on Vale Road it was “quite a scare”. Keep an ear open for their distinctive calls. The male will often have two female mates. These include moving quickly but not running, covering your head and attaching fake eyes to the back of your head to confuse the birds. The male builds the nest and the females both lay their eggs in the same nest. But don’t let you’re guard down forever – magpies can live in the same territory for 20 years. Certainly hit the back of the helmet with some force a number of times for about 50 metres,” the post stated. I’d say convergent evolution is likely. They breed in large colonies during the wet season when water is plentiful, but move on to permanent waters at the end of the wet season, when the young birds are able to fly, in preparation for the dry season. However, one patient this month had a penetrating eye injury that needed surgery. 99% of swooping magpies are males. Conservation status (IUCN 3.1): Warn other people where the magpies are swooping locally by registering the swoops with along with a description on our national mappie map. Seasons of collecting data on magpie swoops has resulted in another report on the website ’ m you. 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