Swooping seasons here!

It’s almost a rite of passage to be swooped by a magpie in Australia. The infamous magpies have started to attack, but they’re not the only birds you need to watch out for, lesser known birds including noisy miners, butcher birds and masked lapwings.

Peak breeding season usually runs from August to November. Swooping season runs over a four-week period while the female sits on the nest and the male defends his new brood.

Their "attack zone" is within a 100- to 200-metre radius from their nest. If you must enter the attack zone, it is best to wear protective clothes like a hat and sunglasses. Birds are less likely to swoop if you look at them. You can try wearing your sunglasses on the back of your head or alternatively, you can draw or sew a pair of eyes onto the back of a hat.

All native wildlife are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and harming these native birds is against the law. Swooping is a natural behaviour for these birds to protect their eggs and young. If you feel the bird is a risk to public safety that cannot be adequately manged by these measure, you should report the matter to your local council who should have an aggressive native bird procedure in place.

"Be prepared this swooping season."

Darren Caulfield