Angry birds magpies and plovers are about and Brisbane has its swooping hotspots

SWOOPING magpies and plovers are still wreaking havoc on the streets of Brisbane, and here’s the suburbs that walkers and cyclists should avoid.

A swooping magpie can strike fear into the hardiest soul.

SWOOPING magpies and plovers are still wreaking havoc on the streets of Brisbane, with new figures revealing the suburbs that walkers and cyclists should avoid.

South Brisbane has been home to the most bird attacks in the River City since 2016, followed by the up-market suburb of Ascot on the city’s north side.

A magpie swoops a cyclist at Fairfield. Picture: Liam Kidston

The council has warned that breeding season could still be underway, with swoopings usually lasting for about six weeks of the year.

There were about 630 swooping attacks last financial year in Brisbane – averaging out to more than a dozen every week.

Brisbane City Council’s environment, parks and sustainability chairman David McLachlan urged residents who were concerned about bird attacks to take alternative routes.

“Council proactively monitors known swooping locations on footpaths, bikeways or in parks and installs signage during breeding season,” he said.

“In rare cases, where a bird has attacked and injured someone, the State Government can provide permission for the bird responsible to (be relocated to) a more appropriate area.”

Cr McLachlan said magpies, plovers, butcherbirds, and even crows could be particularly aggressive during the breeding season, swooping up to 100 metres from their nests.

Other swooping hot spots in Brisbane include Brighton on the city’s bayside and Paddington to the inner-west.

Visitors to the South Bank Parkland are warned to be alert to swooping birds. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

A spokesman for the Logan City Council said magpies and butcherbirds regularly attacked residents during breeding season.

He said licensed contractors were employed by the council to “assess, trap and relocate” swooping birds without harming them.

“On rare occasions noisy minors and crows have also (been) known to swoop Logan residents,” he said.

An Ipswich Council spokesman said they would only relocate a swooping bird if it was posing a public health or safety risk.

“For example, if a magpie is swooping near a school that is adjacent to a busy road, council would arrange for its relocation,” he said.

From out of the sun, a magpie strikes. Picture: Glenn Hampson

BRISBANE SUBURBS WITH MOST BIRD ATTACKS SINCE 2016

1. South Brisbane - 15

2. Ascot - 14

3. Brighton - 13

4. Bracken Ridge - 12

5. Paddington - 11

6. Aspley - 10

7. St Lucia - 9

8. Murarrie - 9

9. Enoggera - 9

10. Calamvale - 8