How to stop a magpie swooping you in Australia this spring

Magpie swooping season is about to begin and according to bird experts there’s only one way to avoid attack this spring.

Birdlife Australia national public affairs manager Sean Dooley told FEMAIL it is imperative to befriend your local flock before mating season gets underway.

He explained that most magpies that swoop are male and are simply defending their hatchlings from danger, but if you feed them you are no longer considered a threat.

‘From a magpie’s perspective the people that give them food are obviously in the friendly category! It is almost unheard of for magpies to aggressively swoop people that feed them,’ he said. 

And while feeding native wildlife is a controversial tact Mr Dooley said as long as it is done in a safe way there’s little to no harm in it.

The bird expert suggests custom-made commercial seed mixes and dogfood as the perfect treats for your local magpies.

‘Like us, junk food is not good for health so try to avoid most processed food. Too much salt, sugar and fat is not great so try to avoid things like sausage meat, bread or bacon,’ he said.

‘Even minced meat is not ideal as their is a risk that the scraps will lodge in the side of the bill and become a source of infection. But most importantly, mince meat doesn’t really have the right balance of nutrients for magpies being deficient in things like calcium.’

He backs up his suggestion to feed the birds by citing other animal experts.

‘There is very little evidence to show that Australian native birds ever become dependent on being fed. As leading expert, Professor Darryl Jones says, you aren’t giving them their main meal, more of a cup of tea and a biscuit,’ he said. 

There is more to think about when feeding magpies than what they should be eating, he explained.

This man was swooped at a park in Sydney’s west last season

‘Make sure that where you feed them is kept clean. Birds aren’t very good at social distancing and the spread of disease is probably the greatest risk in bird feeding. So you need to keep your feeding area clean and disinfected as regularly as you can,’ he said.

Male magpies are the typical aggressors, according to Dooley, and will start swooping as soon as their chicks begin to hatch.

This behaviour will continue for about three weeks until the hatchlings are able to defend themselves. 

‘But it can vary with individual magpies. And of course, with different pairs nesting at different times, when one magpie stops swooping, another one may just be starting,’ he added.

Not all magpies swoop either, Mr Dooley said only about ten percent of male magpies swoop.

‘That a magpie swoops is usually an indication that they have been treated badly at the hands of humans in the past so to avoid swooping is a year long project,’ he said.

The bird repeatedly dive bombed the man who ran away 

He recommends a year-long friendship with local birds – rather than prioritising it during breeding season. 

Mr Dooley’s comments come after Japanese Ambassador to Australia Shingo Yamagami tweeted a photo of himself preparing for swooping season.

The ambassador was wearing a helmet with chopsticks lodged in the side and a ‘magpies’ sweater in an attempt to fit in with the birds whilst on his bike. 

‘Dear magpies, how about we call it a truce this swooping season? Look, I’m even trying to blend in more,’ he wrote.

People in the thread also suggested he feed the birds.

‘Feed them Mr Ambassador, word gets around and their mates will leave you alone………most of the time,’ one person said.

‘Feed them dried cat food biscuits. They love it and will never swoop you again,’ said another.’

Other tried and tested methods include ‘wearing eyes’ on the top of your head and avoiding areas where the birds nest when possible. 

September is peak swooping season – but it can start as early as July, depending on the weather.