A magpie swooped towards these trees adjacent to Cambridge Square and hit a bystander.
A magpie on Cambridge Square.
Magpie madness is back.
Throughout the year the boisterous birds can often be seen in the skies defending their territories with two-on-one attacks on kahu – the harrier hawk.
Those within hearing range of their nests will get an Australian style morning wake up serenade and again at dusk.
But during their breeding season magpies can become aggressive, swooping and sometimes striking unsuspecting people. Posties have often been victims.
The black and white birds were out in force in central Cambridge last weekend and The News knows of at least one person who escaped an attack unharmed.
Magpies are another species foolishly introduced into New Zealand during the 1860s and they are now common throughout almost the entire country.
They are intelligent birds and a Brisbane study suggested just 9 per cent were aggressive towards people, and almost all were male birds.
So what to do? Avoid areas where they are nesting and carry an umbrella if you are walking in areas where they are known to be. Do not run if you are being swooped on. Magpies usually swoop from behind, so one piece of advice is to maintain eye contact. Be aware that magpies appear to be irritated by cyclists.
Magpie swooping season is, thankfully, usually a short one.
Male magpies are the usual offenders when it comes to swooping. Photo: Waikato Regional Council.
Magpies in Cambridge Square recently.
