Magpie Attacks

Archibald

better take that lambs tail off the back of your helmet then...

a cunningham

I was attacked by a magpie or possibly an Australian Raven on Sunday, at the intersection of Nudgee and Toombul Roads, Brisbane, while cycling back into town. I had been stopped at the lights waiting for the right turn traffic signal and was cycling alone at the time. The bird swooped from behind after I had turned onto Nudgee Road. Despite my wearing a helmet and sunglasses, it managed to hit and cut my face only about 2 mm from the corner of my eye, creating a huge black eye. People at work are all asking me how the other person in the fight went! The bird swooped twice more as I could see its shadow after me.I just pedalled as fast as I could waving my arm in the air and fortunately didn't fall off as it is quite a busy inersection. This bird has only missed blinding me by a few mm. I was struck nearly a year ago at the same intersection, on the same part of my face but about one cm from the same eye. That time I only had a couple of scratches. I think it must be the same bird and think I will have to change my cycle route as I think this bird is going to blind someone! If anyone knows any sure fire ways to stop this I would appreciate it and would also like to warn others about this intersection. Not sure about the type of bird, only saw big and black!

kakman

A lot of people seem to go the 'cable tie sticking out of the helmet' route but I can't attest to its affectiveness. Even though we've had a cool winter in Sydney, I know it's probably only a few weeks before they'll start down here. Might try the tinsel and 'extra sunglasses facing backwards' trick as well - I can't stand the bastards.

//k

honglong123

depends on location, you may have to call your local council to fix the problem, here's a reference for national parks in NSW

http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au...ative_Birds.pdf

neon

Magpies have been on the go for about month now around where I live. All I have come across pretty passive really. None are going for the kill. Just buzzing the tower so to speak, like Maverick in Top Gun.

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TDU Boy

I am an animal lover, but those bloody birds really test my patience...

My most recent attack was last year -- I was running at the time, actually, rather than cycling. It was at the northern end of the Victoria Park racetrack in Adelaide and the first I knew about it was when I felt the magpie's wings brush against my head. It scared the absolute sh*t out of me and I started sprinting like a maniac. Then I decided I would turn around to face the little bugger -- I knew there would be a second time and at least I would be able to see him coming. I looked up and he was hovering about 5-10 metres above me. I stared him out and was waving my arms frantically in the air for about 10-15 seconds before he gave up and finally decided to fly back to his tree. I was completely spooked (and absolutely stuffed!) for the rest of my run and kept looking over my shoulder about 10 times every second.

Moral of the story: I agree that they don't like the eyes looking at them. I think I'll stick some giant googly ones to the back of my helmet. I've just started getting into cycling and all these stories are freaking me out!

Balderick

I believed that as well, until the week after the Super Car Races at Bathurst last year. I was at a conference at the mt Panaorama Pits, and naturally took my bike. Rode counter-clockwise, and this very aggressive magpie attacked me about 6 times as I rode up Mountain Straight.

I wanted to do 2 laps, so reversed direction for the sole reason of going down Mountain Straight, and hopefully go fast enough to avoid being bombed.

So I ride down Skyline, and hammer down Mountain Straight. Doing about 70 kph, feeling smug, and whack whack. I look back, and this magpie is lining up for another go.

So, the 50 kph thing does not ALWAYS work.

matagi

Having seen a magpie having multiple goes at a postman riding in traffic on his motorbike (doing 60+kph) I think the 50kph rule is a bit of a myth.

I have no idea what the top dive speed of a swooping magpie is, but they are tenacious buggers when it comes to protecting nesting sites.

62vette

There's an aggressive bugger back on one of my training routes after being clear for a year. Our local coucil will go and cull aggressive magpies seeing as they're an introduced and considered a pest species here in NZ.

matagi

They are a native bird over here in Oz and therefore protected. The worst thing you can do is disturb a magpie's nest by moving it to another location, it only makes them more aggressive. They also imprint and pass it on to their offspring, so the problem is then perpetuated. We only have two birds on our normal riding route that swoop and they are in locations where the trees are regularly lopped by the tree butcherers employed by the local power authority.

j.r.hawkins

There's one that has a go just as you come out of the city-bound end of the Burnt Bridge Creek cycle path at Balgowlah.

Last season I heard this CLACK! on my helmet and saw the bird looking back at me as it flew off for a second attempt. Harmless on this occasion I suppose, but it might put off others or possibly cause an accident. I saw it another two or three times but not again.

If it returns this season I might let the NWPS encourage the gene pool to lose this trait.

Meeba

l had a budgie slam in to my back once-poor thing l think it was lost and bewildered.
lm wondering if the bird flu will ever affect magpies! It will get scarier then!

websterm

cableties on the back and top of the helmet seem to work - they cant figure out how to get through the spikes. You only need 5 or 6.
You can also avoid the places they like - big old trees on roadsides in cleared farmland. They don't attack in forest from my experience. Also if there are lots of magpies about they wont attack usually.

TDU Boy

My Mum got hit on the back of the shoulder yesterday on Tapleys Hill Road near the River Torrens. I also got buzzed along the old tram corridor that runs parallel to Anzac Hwy. I turned around and waved my arm in the air and shouted at him, which seemed to do the trick.