Brisbane’s magpie hotspots: Where you are most likely to get swooped

The thing about being swooped by a magpie is that by the time you realise it’s happening, it’s almost certainly too late.

Aside from donning full protective gear, which is one way to avoid a beak to the noggin, it is best to know where not to go to avoid being swooped during spring.

Figures from Brisbane City Council reveal the swooping hotspots across the city for the past five years.

The top location for swoops so far this year is Coorparoo in Brisbane’s south, followed by Carseldine and Everton Park on the northside.

Bald Hills, Milton, McDowall, Northgate, Sherwood, Brighton and Greenslopes round out the top 10 hotspots for bird-swooping thus far in 2024.

Swoop tracking website Magpie Alert shows a number of magpie attacks on Rialto and Leigh streets in Coorparoo, which have led to injuries to cyclists and walkers.

The website also highlights multiple reports of an aggressive magpie along the Gateway Bikeway in Banyo, not far from Nudgee Golf Club.

Browne Street in New Farm, Macquarie Street in Teneriffe, Halsbury Street in Chelmer, Oateson Skyline Drive in Seven Hills and Bulimba Street in Bulimba are also key swooping locations.

Bird breeding begins in July, but September is the month when most birds protect baby birds in their nests by swooping on unsuspecting walkers, riders and joggers.

Last year, 165 of Brisbane’s 571 bird-swooping attacks were in September. But swooping season typically lasts until October and November, so the sky is not clear yet.

Not all swooping birds are magpies – other culprits include magpie-larks, plovers (masked lapwings), grey butcher birds and noisy miners.

Interesting facts

Magpies remember your face. They have excellent recall for faces and very long memories. So, if you’ve been swooped before, or even if you just look like someone they swooped last year, you’re likely to get the same treatment again.

Magpies can live for 25 to 30 years.

Males have a white back, while females and chicks have grey backs.

Generally, magpies mate for life and only search for a new partner when one dies.

Source: South Australia Department of Environment 

Most incidents likely go unreported, while some people might make disproportionate submissions.

It might feel like every magpie is a potential threat, but Dr Meg Edwards, a lecturer in wildlife science at the University of Southern Queensland, said only about 10 per cent of males swooped during spring.

“It’s usually just a defence mechanism. So it’s them wanting to tell us to stay away from their nest and their eggs,” she said. “They’re just trying to protect their babies.

“They’ll often do a warning swoop first, where they don’t necessarily make contact. And if we basically don’t heed their advice, then they can do another swoop or two.”

As for preventative measures to avoid being swooped, Edwards said measures such as zip ties on helmets and eyes on the back of hats had mixed results.

Running away or screaming at the magpie could make things worse, Edwards said.

“They don’t know what’s going on, they just see you as a threat,” she said.

“And if you’re screaming and yelling, they might think, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s going to come and steal my nest.’

“Giving them a wide berth for a few weeks is always a good idea.”

Credit: Matt Golding

In 2021, reports of swooping in Brisbane peaked at 1193 incidents, which Edwards said could have been the result of more people walking through parks and cycling during COVID lockdowns.

“There may have been more potential for humans and magpies to come into contact,” she said.

Edwards added that suburban hotspots tended to emerge in areas with popular walking and cycling paths and parks.

But the council’s figures suggested bird swooping was on the dive in Brisbane, dropping to 726 in 2022, 571 in 2023 and only 280 in 2024 to date.

The council chiefly credited this to its bright yellow warning signs. More than 120 distinctive “swooping bird” signs had been installed across 36 suburbs this year.

“In 2021, we received a high number of swooping calls and took action by upgrading the warning signs with bright, eye-catching colours and designs,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.

One of the council’s swooping warning signs.Credit: Reddit

“Our signs are quickly rolled out if we’re alerted to swooping incidents and they have proven incredibly effective, with less incidents reported to council since they were introduced.

“Native wildlife contributes to the incredible lifestyle we have here in Brisbane and we have to co-exist with these birds during swooping season while keeping the community safe.”

A five-month-old baby girl died in 2021 after her mother tragically fell when both were swooped by a nesting magpie in Glindemann Park at Holland Park.

The magpie responsible for the attack was removed from the park. At the time, Schrinner said the council was aware of reports about that particular bird, but would not answer why it had not been moved before the attack on the baby and her mother.

The council said it had authority to engage qualified wildlife experts to relocate problem birds “if the expert considers they present a serious risk to the public”.

To report a swooping bird call Brisbane City Council on 3403 8888.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.