I woke up early this morning and went for a run (hence the sneezing), the plan is to do this for 2 weeks and hopefully it will become a habit... hmmm you think it will happen? You see it is magpie swooping time right now, and seeing how I got swooped last year at this time I am scared of those stupid birds! I think I have chosen a route that will be safe... hopefully. See so this time of year is wonderful but now I have a new phobia!! MAGPIES!!Here is some info about these birds that I found when I first got swooped:
Being the target of a magpie’s ire is an inevitable part of growing up in Australia. Or is it? Certa
inly, when magpies pounce, they can do real damage. The Injury Surveillance Information System (ISIS) is a national collection of hospital emergency department attendance records. Their data shows that of 59 magpie attacks, the eye was the birds’ most common target.
Magpies seem to get particularly infuriated by bicycles: nearly half of those attacked were riding a bike at the time. But delving further into the ISIS data, we find that almost two thirds of the magpie victims were male, and half of all those attacked were aged between 10-30. Obviously magpies are selective!
inly, when magpies pounce, they can do real damage. The Injury Surveillance Information System (ISIS) is a national collection of hospital emergency department attendance records. Their data shows that of 59 magpie attacks, the eye was the birds’ most common target.Magpies seem to get particularly infuriated by bicycles: nearly half of those attacked were riding a bike at the time. But delving further into the ISIS data, we find that almost two thirds of the magpie victims were male, and half of all those attacked were aged between 10-30. Obviously magpies are selective!
When: Magpies begin breeding in July and this lasts through until the chicks fledge in February. Most attacks occur between August and November when the chicks are in the nest!
Where: NSW, VIC, eastern South Australia, south west WA, coastal rang
es of Qld.
Where: NSW, VIC, eastern South Australia, south west WA, coastal rang
es of Qld.Other info: - Magpies are only aggressive for six weeks of the year, around August/September, when they have chicks in the nest.- Most magpies attack the same few individuals again and again, possibly because they remind the bird of someone who once hurt them.- Only the males attack (the females are too busy sitting on the eggs).Magpies are excellent mimics and can even imitate the human voice.
The large public problem and potential liability suits precipitated by magpie attacks have prompted avian researchers to take a fresh look at magpies, their behaviour and their social organisation, in the hope of finding clues on how to live more peacefully with these Australian icons.
The large public problem and potential liability suits precipitated by magpie attacks have prompted avian researchers to take a fresh look at magpies, their behaviour and their social organisation, in the hope of finding clues on how to live more peacefully with these Australian icons.
