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Thread: Dear Australians

  1. #1
    Misha's Avatar
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    Dear Australians

    Is "swooping season" a real thing? Like Magpies actually try to peck your face off?

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    Sci_Girl's Avatar
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    Not in Australia but I have been swooped at by magpies and crows. It has to do with the chicks hatching so they are just protecting them. But they are aggressive. Peck your face off no, but they swoop over and over and will give a quick peck if they get close enough. Darn birds are super smart too so they will recognize those who are in the area of their babies.


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  4. #3
    Misha's Avatar
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    That's just basic instinct, makes sense. I was bit and attacked pretty badly by a sow who thought I was after her piglets. That was scary.

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    Katie Mama Bear's Avatar
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    Yes, yes it definitely is. You'll see many public parks with signs up warning about swooping magpies. Little kids attach ziplock ties or pipe cleaners vertically to their bike helmets to try to discourage maggies coming at their heads. If reported to the council, serious cases will be relocated to nearby bushland, but they often come back to their original territory. I've never been attacked more than a little warning swoop, but I've watched many kids getting harassed on the way to school.



    When my husband first moved here and saw those helmets, he thought they must have all been special ed kids or something.

  6. #5
    Water's Avatar
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    Yes, when I use to walk through a park to get to my school, these mofo magpies would swoop me and it's like they can smell your fear. I ended up having my backpack on my head to avoid scratches

  7. #6

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    the magpies in scotland are sound but yall are describing what the seagulls do here
    there was a seagull on my fence a while back with actual bloodstains on its feathers and i can only assume itd been in the presence of children before landing in my garden to plan its next attack, most likely on more children

  8. #7
    Misha's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bacchus View Post
    Yes, yes it definitely is. You'll see many public parks with signs up warning about swooping magpies. Little kids attach ziplock ties or pipe cleaners vertically to their bike helmets to try to discourage maggies coming at their heads. If reported to the council, serious cases will be relocated to nearby bushland, but they often come back to their original territory. I've never been attacked more than a little warning swoop, but I've watched many kids getting harassed on the way to school.



    When my husband first moved here and saw those helmets, he thought they must have all been special ed kids or something.
    And I already thought Australia was scary enough. Good lord.

  9. #8

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    Just carry a tennis racquet...

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    Sci_Girl's Avatar
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    I think magpies are also just dicks to begin with. Their squawking is awful, they like to do so right at first light, they get into fights with eachother all the time making more noise, and worst of all they destroy any garbage bags you have outside. They will leave a trail of garbage everywhere. So it does not surprise me that magpies also like to turn into kamikaze pilots.


  11. #10
    TRENDSETTERASSBAG Maison's Avatar
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    Hahahahhahah

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