The grey bird that is well known for swooping people in Australia is the Australian Magpie. Magpies are a common bird species found throughout much of Australia. During springtime, which is breeding season, magpies can become aggressive and swoop or attack humans who get too close to their nests. This defensive behavior has made magpies both famous and feared in Australia.
What does the Australian Magpie look like?
The Australian Magpie has distinctive black and white plumage. The males have mostly black feathers with white patches on the back and belly. Females have lighter grey feathers on the back and wings with white bellies. Both males and females have a black beak and legs.
Magpies are medium sized birds, around 37–43 cm in length. Their wingspan is about 80 cm. Magpies have relatively long tails and stand tall while on the ground. The white back and rump of the magpie is a key distinguishing feature from other black and white birds like butcherbirds.
Where are Australian Magpies found in Australia?
Australian Magpies are found widely across Australia except for Tasmania. They occupy open country throughout much of the continent. Magpies do well in both rural and urban areas.
In rural areas, magpies frequent open woodlands and grasslands. They avoid dense forest but may be found along forest edges. In urban areas, magpies have adapted to live in parks, gardens, and streetscapes.
Magpies only arrived in Tasmania in the 1930s. They have spread rapidly and can now be found in urban areas around Hobart and Launceston. However, they have not successfully colonized remote wilderness areas of Tasmania yet.
Why do Magpies swoop humans in spring?
Magpies are highly territorial birds that defend their nesting areas aggressively. Swooping attacks are the magpie’s way of discouraging potential predators and protecting their chicks and eggs.
Swooping occurs almost exclusively during spring, between August and October, which coincides with breeding season. During this time, testosterone levels are high in male magpies, who do the majority of swooping to defend their nests.
After the chicks have left the nest, hormonal changes reduce the aggressive territorial behavior, and swooping attacks become rare again.
Are magpie attacks dangerous?
Magpies usually swoop as a warning rather than to make contact. Swooping magpies typically fly within a couple meters of their target. The loud sound of air rushing through their wings is often enough to deter intruders. They rarely make contact but may occasionally peck lightly at an unwelcome head.
Severe injuries from magpie attacks are very rare. However, they can occur in exceptional circumstances. The most dangerous injuries are wounds to the eyes from magpie beaks. Very occasionally, elderly victims have suffered fatal head injuries from falling over during an attack.
To minimize risk, avoid known magpie nesting areas during spring. If swooping does occur, stay calm and move away quickly without making sudden reactions. Wearing sunglasses and hats for protection is also recommended.
How many swooping attacks occur each year?
There are no definitive statistics on the number of magpie attacks each year in Australia. However, reports indicate thousands of attacks occur each spring. For example, in 2019 the Victorian central emergency dispatch service recorded 2365 magpie related calls between August and October. Of these, 1135 required an ambulance response.
The number of attacks varies substantially between years and locations. Aggressive magpies generate significant media attention and public discussion despite the relatively low risks compared to other health and safety issues. Concerning levels of magpie aggression have occurred occasionally in local hotspots like parks with 100+ attacks in a single season. But this represents a small minority of the overall magpie population.
Are swooping magpies only found in Australia?
No, aggressive swooping behavior is not unique to Australian magpies. The black-billed magpie found across North America exhibits similar attacking behavior during breeding season. Cyclists in particular have raised concerns about frequent magpie swooping incidents in areas like Colorado and Utah. Other magpie species in Europe, Asia and Africa may also show occasional territorial aggression but rarely cause injuries.
The Tasmanian subspecies of magpie was introduced from mainland Australia in the 1930s. So aggressive swooping spread to Tasmania only through human intervention originally. This shows that swooping attacks are a behavioral trait of magpies worldwide rather than something unique to Australia’s environment.
Is climate change affecting magpie swooping habits?
There is some evidence that hotter weather linked to climate change may be extending and intensifying magpie swooping season. Extreme heat in late summer and early spring appears to encourage early nesting before typical territorial behavior takes over.
One South Australian study found magpie attacks occurred 10 days earlier after a heatwave with temperatures above 40°C. The number of very hot spring days has increased across Australia in recent decades. This may allow magpies to maintain aggression over longer periods into summer when parks and outdoor spaces see heavy human use.
More research is needed to model the impacts of rising temperatures on magpie breeding cycles. But preliminary indications are that continued climate change may increase aggressive encounters between magpies and humans. Public warnings about swooping may need to be provided over longer timespans.
What can be done to prevent magpie attacks?
The key strategy to minimize magpie attacks is avoiding known nesting sites in spring. Parks and schools often use signage to warn people away from dangerous magpie nesting areas.
In public areas with swooping problems, removal of magpie eggs or nests is controversial but can be trialed when attacks are frequent. Culling magpies is illegal under the Federal Protection of Birds Act and rarely solves the problem long-term.
Broad-scale magpie control is not considered justified given the rarity of severe injuries. Instead, practical protective measures like sunglasses and hats are recommended along with greater public education about magpie behavior through schools and media campaigns.
Are there any positive aspects of magpie swooping behavior?
While very disruptive for humans, magpies’ aggressive nest defense has benefits from an ecological perspective. Deterring predators like dogs, cats and raptors reduces chick mortality and helps maintain magpie population levels.
Magpies are an iconic Australian bird that contribute to biodiversity, insect control, and seed dispersal. Their willingness to live close to humans provides opportunities for many people to observe bird behavior and biology.
Swooping magpies force us to consider and respect the space needs of native birds during breeding season. While frustrating, swooping is a reminder that we share the urban landscape with wildlife that has its own needs and behaviors.
Conclusion
The Australian Magpie is an intelligent and complex bird species that is both culturally iconic and infamous for its aggressive nest defending behavior. Swooping magpies undoubtedly cause an inconvenience and occasional minor injuries to unwary humans for several months each year. However, the practice is simply an effort by magpies to protect their young and preserve the survival of the species.
With sensible precautions like avoiding nesting areas, protective clothing and greater awareness of magpie biology, the risk of dangerous swooping incidents can be minimized. In the long run, learning to live alongside magpies and other native wildlife is a key test of our empathy and adaptability as a society.