Originally Posted by kiwinow

Have you ever seen those crows you can buy suspended on a stick that look like they're flying round in the breeze. One of them on the back of your bike should fix them. What with that, the T-shirt, the eyes on your helmet and your sunnies on backwards nobody is likely to approach you.

Originally Posted by tictac

I admit Magpies are a pain, but the blasted storm birds are more of a threat to my sanity at the moment

Imagine having a few of these calling at the bottom of your garden day and night :curse:

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_con...ls/birds/koel/

Originally Posted by Scubaemma

I've only been living in this country for just over a month (can't believe it's a month already!) and before we came here I was a little bit nervous about mozzies and spiders etc but it turns out that they don't bother me, it's the frigging magpies that I'm now terrified of!

When we first arrived and were staying with the in-laws, I was about to go out for a run and MiL said don't go across the paddock cos the magpie will swoop you. So I had to learn all about the evil birds. I went a different route and was fine, but another day got dive bombed by one when running further out of town. It didn't actually touch me but I was terrified. But the in-laws live out in the sticks so when we moved into Brissie I thought we'd be fine.

But went for a walk around the park at the end of our road and I got attacked! OH didn't, but I did and it actually slammed me in the back of the head and with a big sharp beak like they've got it bloody hurt like hell. So now I'm too scared to run in the park - it's proper terrified me, so much so that now walking around anywhere and I hear any kind of bird, or even see a leaf fall from a tree, my heart stops and I'm a quivering wreck! This is so not like me.....

Went for a bike ride along the river yesterday and by the South Bank got swooped again! So I read on a cycling forum and all these poor cyclists have been attacked in the face (pouring with blood, eyes pecked etc) like something out of a horror film. I'm thinking of locking myself in the house until half way through November. And I was so looking forward to going out running and cycling here!

Originally Posted by Clippy

I'd heard all this stuff about magpies but not really taken much notice, until I saw my postman being attacked! He drove all the way up the road, at first glance I thought he had got a bird on his shoulder, then realised he was being attacked by a magpie repeatedly. He turned around and drove back down the other direction to carry on delivering and just had to keep waving his arm up in the air as this mapgie kept on swooping him.

I was completely gobsmacked, watched him for as far as the eye could see and the bird just kept on following him and going for him. How on earth he kept control of his moped whilst fending that off I don't know.

Originally Posted by annqldau

Beg to differ with everyone but, I find the Magpies here very cool and friendly. We get over 20 at times in our garden and have always found them very friendly and a good laugh to watch with their various antic's they amuse for hours. We don't get swooping or diving just nice interaction funny walks and interactive behavior.

Maybe it's only 'stranger danger' Magpies people have problems with as if they see you as friends theirs no problem.

Pics attached.

Originally Posted by MartinLuther

If the magpie knows you then there's no problem. We have one that lives in our garden and is no problem. It's just the ones down the road that swoop.

I too, think they are wonderful birds.