It’s great to take in the warmer weather and enjoy some time outdoors with the arrival of spring here in the Snowy Monaro, but Council is reminding residents and visitors to be alert, stay safe, and be swoop smart during magpie and lapwing swooping season.
We all want to protect our families, and our local magpie and masked lapwing (plover) populations are no different.
From August to the end of October each year, some magpies swoop low to keep people and animals away from their nests while their newly-hatched babies. Not all magpies swoop, and those that do only guard the 100-metre area around their nest for six to eight weeks. Once hatchlings are old enough to start leaving the nest, swooping stops.
Masked lapwings, or plovers, pair up at the end of winter. Eggs hatch in the spring in ground-based nests in open grassy areas. These proud parents keep watch 24 hours a day and often swoop and screech to keep threats away from their nests.
Swoop smart tips to help you stay safe
The best protection is to avoid areas where birds are swooping.
When you can’t avoid passing through a swooping bird’s territory, there are a few things you can do to help protect yourself and your family:
- Walk or ride in groups
- Wear a large wide-brimmed hat or carry an open umbrella
- Wear sunglasses
- Place glasses or adhesive eyes on the back of your hat, umbrella, or helmet
- Install a tall flag on the back of your bicycle
- Don’t be aggressive, this will mark you as a threat for years to come
- Walk, don’t ride, through swooping territory
Magpies and masked lapwings are protected throughout NSW.
It’s against the law to harm them or their young, including their eggs, and it is not permitted to chase or harass these native birds in any way. This is their home too.
Stay safe, take a few extra precautions, and we’ll make it through to summer unscathed.
Learn more from BirdLife Australia. For magpie-specific swooping season information, visit https://qrco.de/MagpieSwooping. For information about masked lapwings and other Australian swooping birds, head to https://qrco.de/SwoopingInfo.