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Spring is just under a month away, but tell that to the local magpies who have begun to their annual swoop and attack season already.
While the majority of maggies are accustomed to people, a small percentage become highly aggressive during the breeding season, which extends from late August to early October, attacking cyclists and walkers.
It may be hard to believe, if you have been the victim of a maggies’ beak, but less than nine per cent of birds go on the attack and almost all are males.
They are generally known to attack – their preferred victims – pedestrians at around 50m from their nest, and cyclists at around 100m
Attacks begin as the eggs hatch, increase in frequency and severity as the chicks grow, and tail off as the chicks leave the nest.
After posting a warming on Facebook readers shared their encounters with this intelligent bird, while others have escaped unscathed.
At the age of 55 I've never been swooped by a magpie! They must like me, Sandra Corbett said.
Vern Lack believes he has never been attacked because he feeds his regularly visitors every day.
Kristy Ann Hennessy-Metcalf also has never been swooped by a magpie.
“I must be lucky,” she said.
But, for Jess Brown it has been a different story.
“Last year it was crazy. I couldn't even go for a walk.”
Michael Majewski: “Must be climate change as it seems to be excuse these days.”
Bryan Meaker asked if someone could design a "Magpie Map" app.