While swooping time for the territorial birds usually peaks in September, the Magpie Alert interactive map has already recorded 50 attacks in July – and some of them sound truly terrifying:
“We were walking along the footpath going for breakfast minding our own business when a giant magpie swooped down and attacked my 6ft4 friend. He had unfortunately been on a 15-hour long bender and then did a night shift at work, so he wasn’t in the greatest of states. It was traumatic and 100% unprovoked”.
Behavioural Urban Ecologist Professor Darryl Jones, from the Griffith University School of Environment, has told the ABC that it’s not unusual for some magpies to begin preparing for their nesting season during cooler months, but it’s still early for their reign of terror to begin (thank you global warming)
“The first stages of this process are starting and it’s not even August,” he said. “It’s on.”
Just when you thought you were safe …
There is some good news – Professor Jones says less than 10 per cent of magpies swoop humans.
But the feathered fiends do have a trick up their sleeve – facial recognition.
“They will recognise everybody, but if they decide a particular individual is a threat, or a risk, they will remember those people even if they dress up in different clothing,” he added.
So, apologies to anyone unlucky enough to be deemed a danger – we will remember your brave sacrifice.
