2024 Magpie season has began

[brumby33]

Time to bring this old chestnut up again, the yearly event we've all been expecting

Magpie 2024 version is on again and it has began.

We've had a very chilli Winter this year and I didn't expect our little black n white friends to start their flying dive bomb techniques on the 4th day of August....has anyone told these critters that it's still Winter?

Anyway, my first encounter with a Top Gun Magpie was today riding my Trek Mountain bike along Mate Street North Albury and i saw the inevitable shadows then the flapping and the peck on the helmet, then after a couple of goes with this, he decided he'll get my attention while trying to peck my left ear, jeez that hurt but luckily didn't draw blood so I just kept on riding till I was out of his attack range., checked my ear for blood then kept on going.

I saw heaps of Maggies just content to peck in amongst the grass on the side of the bike paths and none of them bothered me like that first one but i'm sure some of the others may not be quite ready yet or have yet to find a mate. Are there any creatures in Australia that Don't dislike cyclists?

They are awesome birds and very smart so i never wish any of them harm....so I'm thinking I'll try wearing a beanie under my helmet for a bit or I'll invest in a Helmet that goes over the ears.

So...prepare for the yearly onslaught of the little black n white fighter pilots

brumby33

[g-boaf]

Try to feed them. I do that with my local ones and they are far more friendly.

There is a POC helmet that goes over the ears when needed:

https://poc.com/en-au/product/procen-ai ... ogen-white

The bits at the side detach if not needed. I wonder if the ventilation is any good. Apparently normal glasses (eg prescription) fit under the visor as well.

[brumby33]

Try to feed them. I do that with my local ones and they are far more friendly.

There is a POC helmet that goes over the ears when needed:

https://poc.com/en-au/product/procen-ai ... ogen-white

The bits at the side detach if not needed. I wonder if the ventilation is any good. Apparently normal glasses (eg prescription) fit under the visor as well.

Mate, we got thousands of the black n white little buggers down here.....they can find their own tucker, no trouble any other time and it's best not to feed them any human food anyway.
Yeah I put a notice up about that maggie on one of our local FB pages and I learnt that it already had somewhat an agro reputation and has injured more than 80 people last year alone, the magpie alert app indicated 2 birds in the same area so i don't know if there's really 2 Maggies helping each other or it's just the one noted twice.

Anyway, now that i know that they are active, i can deviate around the area by taking other side streets, just hope that there's no accomplices there either. It's only early yet so i'm expecting more fighter pilots joining in on the act.

I've seen those helmets being advertised and I'm thinking of another way, either use a beanie to protect the ears and if that doesn't work, i'll get one of those BMX full helmets lol. I don't know what will look sillier to ride in, one of those or plastic cable ties sticking out everywhere.

[Mr Purple]

I really like magpies, little bastard things that they are. We have a few around our house and the follow me when I mow the lawn, and keep on following me into the garage looking for food. They're pretty intelligent, apparently.

Interesting article here, they can recognise up to 30 human faces. That's impressive!

https://blog.lauraerickson.com/2022/03/ ... -than.html

Anyway, me liking them clearly doesn't grant me immunity from being swooped on the bike (except for maybe the ones in my street).

When that happens I think the trick is to realise you're more likely to hurt yourself freaking out or trying to avoid it rather than just go with it. I just sort of hunch down so the helmet covers more of my ears and compliment the bird on its swooping technique. Stops me from getting angry or scared and I'm sure provides an interesting show for bystanders.

Mind you there was one on the Goodwill Bridge circa 2004-2005 that went for your ears. Made me properly bleed once, pretty sure it ended up being shot. It was a real bastard of a thing.

[OnTrackZeD]

Wow I was just thinking on today's ride there was one month to go.

Time to bring two water bottles, if I give them a good scare of water they generally leave me alone afterwards.

[kilroy]

Very early, but my wife got half swooped on a walk last week. I’ve also had a couple of interested ones follow me on a ride without swooping. I always tell myself to just ignore them and keep riding. Problem is, first sign of a swoop I’m madly swinging my arms and nearly falling off the bike. There is an anti magpie helmet that is fairly lightweight but it just gives you protection around the ears (similar to the POC helmet). Anyone else have any good suggestions?

[uart]

Very early, but my wife got half swooped on a walk last week. I’ve also had a couple of interested ones follow me on a ride without swooping. I always tell myself to just ignore them and keep riding. Problem is, first sign of a swoop I’m madly swinging my arms and nearly falling off the bike. There is an anti magpie helmet that is fairly lightweight but it just gives you protection around the ears (similar to the POC helmet). Anyone else have any good suggestions?

A few reflective streamers taped to your helmet will deter them. I noticed a lot of riders using this technique last season.

Personally they don't usually bother me unless it's a particularly aggressive maggie that has learnt to go for the ears. Most of the time they just clap their wings for me and occasionally slap the back of my helmet. I just keep my head down (I'm riding drop bars anyway) so that the eyes are safe and pretty much just figure anything else is not going to do me too much harm. Don't bother waving arms around or taking any risky avoidance maneuvers that could result in a crash and real injuries.

[kilroy]

Thoughts on the PieProof Helmets? $109 delivered and 270 grams for a medium which seems pretty good. I usually wear a fishing style bandana around my neck for sun protection anyway. A bit of ear protection would be a bonus!

https://pieproof.com.au/

[brumby33]

After chatting to a few locals in my town about these Magpies and their reputations for swooping, it seems that the one that got me yesterday has such a reputation in going for the left ear.
On the Magpie app it looked at first to be 2 birds in the same area, one had a yellow warning colour the other a red but i'm now thinking it may have been the same bird reported on the app twice by different people as reports about them going for the left side ear, now unless one has taught the other, I'm thinking it's one of the same bird that causing issues and he has injured up to 80 people last year alone so he's quite skillful.

I'm just going to avoid that street for the next couple of Months and see what happens, I may even go out wearing a beanie under my helmet to see if they still go for the ears, if so, and it hurts, i might look into one of those helmets or try the streamers or zip tie trick.....My Mrs said to stick some bread to the top of your helmet, if he eats it, he might leave you alone....hahaha yeah right...how am i gonna stick bread on top of my helmet?

I'm sure i'm going to come across some more top gun wannabes so we'll see what works or how I can bypass roads from the aggressive ones.....if it costs me a loaf of bread..so be it.

[g-boaf]

Very early, but my wife got half swooped on a walk last week. I’ve also had a couple of interested ones follow me on a ride without swooping. I always tell myself to just ignore them and keep riding. Problem is, first sign of a swoop I’m madly swinging my arms and nearly falling off the bike. There is an anti magpie helmet that is fairly lightweight but it just gives you protection around the ears (similar to the POC helmet). Anyone else have any good suggestions?

Keep your head down, try to stay steady. You can also get off the bike and walk, they won’t normally attack people who are watching (although some will fly up at you).

There is a bird that slams into people not far from where I am - it is silent until it hits with a massive impact. It hurts like heck as well.

[g-boaf]

Along the canal cycleway at Greystanes the magpie near Cumberland Highway is back in action. It's a pretty bad one.

[kilroy]

I got full on hit in the back a few days ago. Puts a dampener on my weekly exercise. I’ve been hitting Zwift but it isn’t the same and it’s harder to ride for anywhere near as long.

[uart]

I got full on hit in the back a few days ago. Puts a dampener on my weekly exercise. I’ve been hitting Zwift but it isn’t the same and it’s harder to ride for anywhere near as long.

Don't let them put you off so easily. Just make some reflective streamers for your helmet from this type of stuff, it works a treat. https://www.amazon.com.au/Repellent-Ref ... 0BN1CTKQH/


Personally I don't bother about it until I come across one that has learnt to go for the ears. Been whacked on the back of the helmet twice this week, no pain or blood loss so not an issue for me.

[warthog1]

Must be lucky I guess. North of 150k km on strava and plenty more before strava. Had a scratched ear once. There was a butcher bird in Mildura that used to leave beak indentations in the polystyrene at the back of the helmet. Only hit the helmet though. Have been hit in the shoulder/back before, not by the beak. 300gm of bird vs 76000gm of rider. I figure it hurt the bird more than me.
I've got glasses and a helmet on. I'll continue to ignore them. Ours just aint that bad. Vehicles concern me far more.

[CmdrBiggles]

Must be lucky I guess. North of 150k km on strava and plenty more before strava. Had a scratched ear once. There was a butcher bird in Mildura that used to leave beak indentations in the polystyrene at the back of the helmet. Only hit the helmet though. Have been hit in the shoulder/back before, not by the beak. 300gm of bird vs 76000gm of rider. I figure it hurt the bird more than me.
I've got glasses and a helmet on. I'll continue to ignore them. Ours just aint that bad. Vehicles concern me far more.

Don't worry. Your Varia should ping you when Mr Peck-Peck is homing in...

This side of August is a little too early down here in the Deep South.
Magpies, when defined, come in three basic varieties: single-engined, twin-engined and B52. The mob of crazed birds around the Barwon River Trail from Belmont Common all the way to Newtown are angry B52 and fearless kamikaze (people have been attacked from the front, side, rear...), so even though it's a beautiful area to amble through, you can see people are glad to get out of there when they're running screaming! I had the top of my ear pecked badly about 4-5 years ago — a violent thud on the side of head just below the helmet that came pretty close to decking me. Saw GP next day and was given 3 stitches, antibiotic cream and a dressing. Have not been down that particular section since and likely never will (considerably further away from me now than the last house).

Last week of August to the first week of September I expect and will be on alert for, aggressive magpie activity. Today's ride was nothing more than partly cloudy skies, a light wind and pleasant sun. I'll get some more riding in tomorrow too.

[brumby33]

They say Magpies are one of the smartest birds around and some of the best pilots in existence, the skill it takes to glide up behind us, come along beside our heads and peck the hell out of our ears is amazing airmanship....

But.....

If they're so bloody smart, wouldn't you think by now they'd work out that cyclists can't climb trees or telegraph pole ....so why the agro?????

[redsonic]

Must be lucky I guess. North of 150k km on strava and plenty more before strava. Had a scratched ear once. There was a butcher bird in Mildura that used to leave beak indentations in the polystyrene at the back of the helmet. Only hit the helmet though. Have been hit in the shoulder/back before, not by the beak. 300gm of bird vs 76000gm of rider. I figure it hurt the bird more than me.
I've got glasses and a helmet on. I'll continue to ignore them. Ours just aint that bad. Vehicles concern me far more.

I agree with the comments that the magpies are far less dangerous than a panicky reaction to them and subsequent crash. I remember watching 2 motorcyclists ahead of me approaching a rural T-junction getting dive bombed, and they were waving their arms above their heads. Surely, a full face helmet and leathers makes you pretty untouchable. Far more likely to get hurt losing control of the motorbike.

One of the 2 recorded fatalities caused by magpies that I know of was a lady trying to run away with a baby in her arms. She fell and crushed the baby.

I always wear glasses and a halo head cap under the helmet, which covers the tops of my ears. Never been hurt, though they can really wack you hard!

[g-boaf]

I wonder if we can have a second topic for debating the effects of magpies and keep this one for just warning about actual magpie locations and diversion routes?

At Merrylands, on Merrylands Rd near Centenary Rd (beside the bakery) is pretty annoying magpie that attacks walkers. That was a few weeks ago so very early.

[Bunged Knee]

Anyone else have any good suggestions?

Might be not a good suggestion????

[brumby33]

Hahahahahahaa......but I don't want motorists hitting me too

[fat and old]

I really like magpies, little bastard things that they are. We have a few around our house and the follow me when I mow the lawn, and keep on following me into the garage looking for food. They're pretty intelligent, apparently.

Magpies are grouse. I have a trio that invades my elfresco on the Peninsula the minute they hear me, 4 that congregate around the back patio in Melbourne and 1 that walks into my office and jumps up onto my desk. Fearless once they know you're not gonna mess them up. The ones down at the beach have been stalking me for 4 seasons now.

[g-boaf]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/riZunN6Ht1x3wjWZA

Another one has starting attacking along my normal route, so I’ll have to divert around it for the next month or two because it usually attacks for at least 1-2 months.

If it didn’t attack at all you wouldn’t know it had any young birds to protect.

So that’s two I’m avoiding so far. Usually another two should be starting soon.

[Retrobyte]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/riZunN6Ht1x3wjWZA

Another one has starting attacking along my normal route, so I’ll have to divert around it for the next month or two because it usually attacks for at least 1-2 months.

If it didn’t attack at all you wouldn’t know it had any young birds to protect.

So that’s two I’m avoiding so far. Usually another two should be starting soon.

How long do magpies live for? That guy has been around for at least 4 years now. And yes, he's probably the most persistent one I've ever encountered - he's usually good for 3 attacks per occasion.

[g-boaf]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/riZunN6Ht1x3wjWZA

Another one has starting attacking along my normal route, so I’ll have to divert around it for the next month or two because it usually attacks for at least 1-2 months.

If it didn’t attack at all you wouldn’t know it had any young birds to protect.

So that’s two I’m avoiding so far. Usually another two should be starting soon.

How long do magpies live for? That guy has been around for at least 4 years now. And yes, he's probably the most persistent one I've ever encountered - he's usually good for 3 attacks per occasion.

Someone else I ride with sometimes lives in that area and gets attacked all the time - he has to join the path at that location. It's very annoying.

I don't know how long they live for, but that bird is very persistent. I didn't get problems with it yesterday so today must be its first time.

The other one to watch for is here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XoKmXU4yfVHJeT1R6

That one is the silent attacker that slams into people at full force.

[find_bruce]

How long do magpies live for? That guy has been around for at least 4 years now. And yes, he's probably the most persistent one I've ever encountered - he's usually good for 3 attacks per occasion.

Around 25 years, so only 21 more years then