Expert shares tips on how to avoid ‘terrifying’ magpie attacks during swooping season

Most Australians are no doubt familiar with the dreaded sound of flapping wings just before they receive a nasty peck on the head as they unknowingly walk past a magpie nest.

More than 980 magpie attacks have been reported to Magpie Alert in 2024 through Monday, with more than 100 injuries.

As the diving season begins, Bird Life Australia National Public Affairs Manager Sean Dooley admitted that despite his bird expertise he has been attacked several times.

“I go birding a lot in the spring. I probably haven’t been hit once in 20 years, but four or five years ago I was hit a couple of times, it could happen to any of us,” Mr Dooley said.

He said being attacked was “sometimes really scary” and “could lead to terrible injuries”. But understanding the behaviour of magpies is a good first step to preventing being attacked.

“You would almost think that these birds have gone crazy and hate everyone, but from all the research we know that in almost 100% of the cases it is only the male magpie that attacks the birds,” he said.

‘But even then, it’s only about 10 percent that take a dive… and that only happens during the period when there are chicks in the nest.’

According to Mr Dooley, negative experiences with people affect magpies’ perception. The birds can remember up to 30 faces in their environment and ‘stereotype’ people.

“(It can) have a positive effect on other people in the area… magpies will attack people who look like you,” he said.

Magpies only dive within 100 metres of their nest. Mr Dooley advises people to ‘get out of danger quickly and calmly’ and stresses that there is ‘no need to panic’.

Many of the injuries reported from magpie attacks are the result of people’s reactions, Mr Dooley said, such as people crashing their bikes in panic.

“Just walk away from that dive zone calmly… and the diving will stop,” he advised.

‘Walk back the way you came until you are sure you are out of the swooping zone. If people know they are only defending their nest, they know the magpie will not continue to chase them.

“The worst thing you can do is panic, run around, scream and try to get revenge.”

Sean Dooley (pictured) is Bird Life Australia’s national public affairs manager. He advised people to stay away from magpies during the strike zone and urged people not to panic.

Mr Dooley said other measures, such as eyes or spikes on the back of a helmet, “can sometimes work” but it was “really a matter of luck, pardon the pun”.

“It may help, but it’s not foolproof,” he said.

‘If you are attacked, it is useful to have sunglasses or something similar with you to protect your eyes, just in case.

‘The best advice is, once you’ve been attacked, see where the magpie has gone… keep an eye on that magpie. It might mean they’re less likely to leave because they know you’re watching them… it’s better to avoid them if you see them coming rather than sneak attacking.’

Despite more than 980 attacks being reported this year, the number of weekly attacks is down 87 percent compared to the six-year average, Magpie Alert said.

“We’re not at peak magpie population yet and we can’t compare it to this time last year, but it certainly doesn’t look like it’s as high as it has been in the last few years,” Mr Dooley said.

Despite the number of attacks this year, the number of weekly attacks has fallen by 87 percent compared to the six-year average (pictured is a magpie attacking a cyclist)

‘It could be the weather – we can’t confirm that yet – but in many areas the winter has been a lot warmer.’

Mr Dooley also said there had been a spike in sudden notifications in 2021, which may have been a result of the pandemic.

‘It could also just be due to the lockdown, people were outside in their neighborhoods much more than normal… [That is] “I’m going back to normal now,” he said.