Kapri

I love them.
I agree they have great character and their song is so beautiful and such an integral part of living in Australia

ozzieeagle

Totally agree, one of the wild life interactions you'll ever get is with Australian Magpies.

Except at swooping time, thank gawd only a few of them do that.

They are way up the scale on animal intelligence stakes... Not sure how high but high enough to interact with humans, show individual characteristics, use tools and forward planning.

Rhubarb65

Yes, I recall getting swooped a couple of years ago, here in Melbourne. I was walking along, minding my own business, when 'whack', I felt this stab on the top of my head. The magpie had drawn blood with its beak and then withdrawn to a nearby fence. I reeled around, quite shocked and shook my fist at it, 'Basil Fawlty style' - it just looked at me with its piercing eyes, as if to say 'yeah, go on then'!

I do love their song though...

Kapri

My OH is a keen cyclist and he puts those silly cable ties on his helmet. He reckons it works as he gets swooped but not attacked.
He does look ridiculous though

brissybee

My youngster used to get swooped on the bike and we drew a pair of huge eyes on sticky-back paper and stuck them on the back of the bike helmet.

It did seem to help.

cresta57

I've never been swooped, nor has Deb. We've always fed the maggies so maybe we got a "do not attack" message passed throughout the avian world
Our son is swooped quite often & always has been lol

brissybee

That's interesting. Our history of a swooper was at an old address. None of us has been swooped here since we started feeding a family of magpies. Actually, I went for a walk today and passed several pairs and none even looked. In fact, at a service station about ten kilometres away a few months back, a magpie trotted after me, like I was an old friend, as I walked back to the car. Do you really think there is an avian code of honour?

roaringmouse

Perhaps they thought you were giving them instructions to attack your son - extra food for extra attacks!

Jacqui

A few years ago, some poor girl in Perth lost an eye when a magpie swooped and attacked her, so don't underestimate how vicious they can be defending their nests. It's usually one rogue magpie whose nest has been attacked (by human vandals) in the past, so you'll find people will take extra precautions walking down that particular street, warn their neighbours, even walk the long way round to avoid it. Me and a friend have been swooped out jogging; also the kids have been swooped walking back from the school bus stop.

When I was mowing the back paddock yesterday, I had a magpie follow me all round (I'm on acreage). I wondered if the thumping of the machine vibrating on the ground was causing more worms to come up? He certainly seemed to find a lot. Not sure I find their birdsong quite so pleasing at 4am I have to say and I've also heard them when going to bed late (around midnight). What time do these birds sleep?!

brissybee

Yes, their attacks can be savage and I feel very sorry for anyone who has been badly injured. And you're right, the magpies do like freshly mown areas as it exposes all the creatures they eat.

As for the magpie song, I really do love it. Waking to the sound of magpies was the first positive experience I remember in Australia. (Make of that what you will.) I'm not sure that it would be magpies you have heard at midnight. The calls of curlews and plovers can often be heard at night though and I wonder if that's what you have heard?

I like birds.














And I like eggs.