This Handy Map Will Help You Avoid Magpies This Swooping Season

Getting swooped by magpies is about as Aussie as tucking into a parma at the pub, with those feathered missiles offering a clear and feisty reminder that spring has indeed, sprung. But you might be able to avoid a few unwanted avian attacks this year, with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning's nifty Swooping Bird Map in your artillery. After all, swoopy fauna is the last thing you want to be worrying about when you're out and about soaking up that spring sunshine.

The online map highlights spots around the state where locals have fallen — ahem — fowl of nesting birds and copped a swoop for it. Click on one of the bird-shaped map pins and it'll show you the number and breed of bird bandits that have recorded incidents in that area, mapping out the nesting territories you'd best avoid.

Anyone can easily add a new swoop site to the map, recording the date of an attack and even leaving a comment. There have been some rather animated warnings, too, including: "Crikey! swooped me dog!!!" referring to a particular feathered fiend in West Footscray, and in Reservoir: "Particularly tenacious, flies very close and regularly makes contact with you. Love spring time in Straya."

Victoria's Swooping Bird Map

One Essendon-based commenter shared their unfortunate tale of being attacked twice in quick succession, having their head opened up and then being stalked for 250 metres; while a whole flock of comments suggests that the path between Holbrook Reserve and Ormond Park in Brunswick West is truly treacherous stuff.

While dives to the head aren't fun, the website shares a gentle reminder that swooping birds are simply trying to protect their eggs and that it's illegal to harass the fluffy helicopter parents back.

In addition to its interactive sighting map, the department's also got some extra tips to help protect yourself against swooping. If you're venturing through a nesting territory, it recommends travelling in a group, walking quickly and covering your head by wearing a hat or holding up a stick or umbrella. The 'fake eyes' trick is also a winner if you're not too proud to draw some peepers to stick on the back of your hat or helmet.

Retaliation is a no-no, as destroying nests or interfering with the birds will only make them stick around longer. And, of course, it's always helpful to give others a heads up about swooping sites, which you can do online via the Swooping Bird Map.

Check out the Swooping Bird Map online now on the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website.