Magpie Attacks

[trent-harrison]

Not so much a go kart man, but a race car driver yes.

 

[afroboy]

I remember this one maggy that would always attack on this one street on the Brisbane 'river run'. I used to ride this route 3 times a week. One saturday, knowing that we were coming up to the 'attack zone LOL' there was this rider infront of our group of 5. I encouraged him to join onto us just to get passed the area but he declined. Well he caught up to us about 5 minutes later bleeding from the tip of his ear and his eye brow! Now i have been bombed many times like anyone else here, but WTF?!
Fortunately, i now live in Cairns and it is too hot for Magpies up here

 

[Little Jackie]

Is it true that they dont attack when there is more than one cyclist ?[/QUOTE]

Not true, my friend was dive bombed when we had a ride together last year. We went home another way!

 

[Little Jackie]

Is it true that they dont attack when there is more than one cyclist ?

Not true, my friend was dive bombed when we had a ride together last year. We went home another way!

 

[flipper]

There's one near the top of the 'Mad Mile' in Upwey... makes it interesting when you've got 2 lanes of traffic going past your elbow, no shoulder whatsoever and a maggie trying to see how fast you can go.
Swooped 4 times. Just be warned there cos it's pretty dodgy...

 

[Dancier]

Rode around the bay yesterday (26/9) and got swooped in six different spots but the worst was while riding along Bulban road Werribee. Must be magpie city their, heaps of the buggers all lined up and waiting for their turn.

 

[bikecoach]

Has anyone been swooped by any other birds? There is this Aussie Raven that seems to think it is a magie everytime i ride past. It's hillarious. It just seems so unnatural, awkward, big and slow. They should stick to eating roadkill.

 

[jock.c]

Has anyone been swooped by any other birds? There is this Aussie Raven that seems to think it is a magie everytime i ride past. It's hillarious. It just seems so unnatural, awkward, big and slow. They should stick to eating roadkill.

Ever read the Omen trilogy? Maybe it's a sign.

 

[sogood]

The only conclusion I can make is that the Harbour here is now so well revegitated, that magpies can no longer scavenge around the foreshores. I have not seen one magpie on my rides or walks for a month or two.

 

[trent-harrison]

I tested the theory that travelling over 50 km/h you dont get swooped and im happy to say its true. I was going down Mount Dandenong rd at about 53 and the maggie thats quite violent did not come out of the tree I was very happy.

 

[lujabe]

To be honest, I've never really had a problem with magpies. Yes, they will swoop. But think about it from the bird's perspective: If they actually hit you, they risk upsetting their own flight and becoming vulnerable themselves. Much like if you clip something while cycling. I think it's extremely rare that magpies will actually try to hit people - they'll swoop very close to warn us off, but I think the times they actually hit someone are when that person is startled and turns/jumps/flinches suddenly and moves into the bird's path. Best thing you can do in my opinion is nothing at all. Just keep on moving and try and ignore the bird till you're through it's territory.

 

[tipsy]

Has anyone been swooped by any other birds?

AFAIK the only other bird in Australia to systematically swoop is the Australian myna. They're a much smaller bird but don't seem to be averse to plummeting straight into the side of your head!

I find something strangely comical about the whole swooping thing. Almost fun. My brother and I used to ride through a street in which we knew we'd get swooped just for the thrill!

 

[62vette]

Magpies will and do make contact. A mate had one latch on to him and peck at his ear till he whacked it off his shoulder.

 

[sogood]

To be honest, I've never really had a problem with magpies. Yes, they will swoop. But think about it from the bird's perspective: If they actually hit you, they risk upsetting their own flight and becoming vulnerable themselves. Much like if you clip something while cycling. I think it's extremely rare that magpies will actually try to hit people - they'll swoop very close to warn us off, but I think the times they actually hit someone are when that person is startled and turns/jumps/flinches suddenly and moves into the bird's path. Best thing you can do in my opinion is nothing at all. Just keep on moving and try and ignore the bird till you're through it's territory.

Wrong, very wrong! There are many documented cases where people and children have got injured as a result of these swoops. It's like eagles, they have the ability to cause injuries or catch their prey through a swoop.

 

[asterope]

To be honest, I've never really had a problem with magpies. Yes, they will swoop. But think about it from the bird's perspective: If they actually hit you, they risk upsetting their own flight and becoming vulnerable themselves. Much like if you clip something while cycling. I think it's extremely rare that magpies will actually try to hit people - they'll swoop very close to warn us off, but I think the times they actually hit someone are when that person is startled and turns/jumps/flinches suddenly and moves into the bird's path. Best thing you can do in my opinion is nothing at all. Just keep on moving and try and ignore the bird till you're through it's territory.

if you think magpies dont actually try to hit people, then maybe you should have a look at the big scratch on my back from where one got me and held on through my jersey yesterday.
Nothing i did would have startled it, and i didnt move an inch from my straight path... all i did was get down on the drops and sprint like crazy, obviously not fast enough!

 

[Wilchemy]

Not so much a go kart man, but a race car driver yes.

Sorry to steer OT again... I'm gunna take a punt on somehow related to Hugh Harrison?

On topic - The magpie on Wilsmere St in Kew (near the shops at the bottom) has in previous years drawn blood from me and my brother. Don't know if he is still there this year, but he comes down from the powerlines.

 

[rodman]

this is amazing. i got swooped about seven times once when i was walking home from primary school and ended up with blood on my scalp. i was so traumatised i didnt walk to school after that until i was in high school but they still swooped. i always thought it was because i was so small (i was about the height of kids in kindy when i was in year 6). i just started cycling and i never thought it would be a problem on a bike. some of the stories here are quite horrific like Ango and how they go for the ears. thanks for the heads up guys. i feel sorry for the road cyclists here with their $200 helmets.

 

[matagi]

Yep, if any of you have those delightful old Stackhats gathering dust in the back of the garage, now might be the time to bring them out again.

 

[artemidorus]

Yes, they will swoop. But think about it from the bird's perspective: If they actually hit you, they risk upsetting their own flight and becoming vulnerable themselves. Much like if you clip something while cycling. I think it's extremely rare that magpies will actually try to hit people - they'll swoop very close to warn us off, but I think the times they actually hit someone are when that person is startled and turns/jumps/flinches suddenly and moves into the bird's path. Best thing you can do in my opinion is nothing at all. Just keep on moving and try and ignore the bird till you're through it's territory.

Completely wrong. They strike with their beaks, frequently and hard. You've been lucky so far.

 

[eldavo]

Butcher birds are bad too. Their beaks are very sharp although they rarely make contact. I'd say they are as territorial as a Maggie but a hit won't make as much impact as they are smaller.

I only once copped a butcher bird, passing a small tree in a city street, on a steep hill after cycling a fast/hard recreational 35km and counting, dug into my back, ultra slow motion trying to get away up this hill, pedestrians looking in shock, I rode through a stop sign with only the briefest of traffic checks at the slow speed with this butcher bird having a field day.

I have found sticking to fence lines and other objects to a side-swoop sem to have helped with the magpies being tree top high speed affairs, with far few er ground-to-air attacks. This slow speed dogfight with the butcher bird made me prefer a magpie attack!