Expert reveals how to stay safe as magpie season swoops in
Spring has spread throughout the country – and most Australian celebrates the end of the winter, while seasonal change brings a new threat.
So far, more than 800 events have been reported, this Magpie Swooping Season and two months later, experts explained what Australians can expect and how to protect themselves best.
According to Meg Edwards, the University of Southern Queensland University, the terrible swooping season is linked to violent protection during reproduction and nesting of the species.
“When Magpies has eggs or chicks in the nest, we see these swooping events, and this is usually between August and October, Dr said Dr Edwards.
“When they come out in winter, there are many food existence, so when there are many animals mating.”
Magpies will defend their nests in an aggressive way for about six weeks after leaving the eggs, but only 10 percent of Magpies is turning to people.
The community -led website Magpie Alert has matched 887 Magpie Swoops since the beginning of 2025, and at least 16 reportedly caused serious injuries.
According to the website, swooping events are intensified in cities on the southeast coast.
Dr. “We tend to move more magpies in areas with more people, Ed Edwards said.
“So you are more likely to move to cities because there are more birds and more people around.
“They only shake everything that seems to be a threat to them.
“If you are in a more closed, busy area, you may not be often swinging, parks, paths and bicycle paths are exposed more.”
Dr Edwards said it was the best way to avoid the places where Magpies lived and nested during the reproductive season and to avoid an attack attack.
“The training is the key.
“Another important thing is to protect their living spaces- so that they can destroy their living spaces, make trees nest and provide them more covers, better, better.”
If you need to move with Magpies in an area, it is recommended that you cover it with a hat and sunglasses, and – most importantly – stay calm.
Dr. “No matter how big and more scary, we may seem like Magpies, and so the possibility of swinging may be higher,” Edwards said.
“So cyclists are usually targeted because they are potentially moving faster, and it may seem more threatening to a blowjob.
“So try to walk quickly, but trying to walk calmly without shouting or running – this can definitely help.”
Queensland Business Owner Hayden Hadfield, there is an unusual method to deterd Magpies from the car dealer and café Hayden’s club Bowen.
Hayfield said, “There were always three Magpies to come and visit us, and sometimes they would shake.”
Hayden Hadfield’s wife Alex took their daughters out of their work in Queensland, Bowen.
“But when we started feeding them – giving them a ham, cheese or crackers – they stopped shaking us.
“This is our Magpie strategy, instead of fighting them, we make friends with them.”
Magpie breeding season usually ends towards the end of October.
