Mapped: Brisbane’s worst areas for magpie swooping

Three magpie incidents have been reported each day in Brisbane since August, with more than 60 suburbs on high alert as peak swooping season takes hold. See the worst areas for swooping.

Three magpie incidents a day are being reported in Brisbane, with more than 60 suburbs on high alert as peak swooping season is in full force.

A Brisbane City Council spokeswoman said 250 reports of nuisance, attacking or swooping birds had been reported from January 1 and September 20.

A staggering 169 of those reports have been since August 1 - an average of about three per day - prompting magpie warning signs to be put up in 62 suburbs across the city’s north and south.

The worst suburbs for incidents were Mount Gravatt East, Carindale, Moorooka, Brighton and Holland Park West.

Holland Park West is the same suburb where five-month-old Mia died after her mother fell while carrying her in her bit to protect her from a swooping magpie in Glindemann Park in 2021.

Magpie attacks a drone at Brisbane Broncos training and fan day at Red Hill on Friday. Picture: Richard Walker

“Swooping signs are not installed in relation to the season, but reactively as reports are assessed,” a Brisbane City Council spokeswoman said.

Other southeast councils are also on high magpie alert with Gold Coast City Council receiving 95 reports of birds swooping in 2023, with 67 of them since the beginning of August.

While the Sunshine Coast Council has received 24 separate swooping birds incidents since mid-August and Redland City Council have put up 25 warning signs in response to requests since September.

Griffith University magpie expert Professor Emeritus Darryl Jones said the birds started building nests as early as June.

He said only 10 per cent of all magpies swooped people and didn’t usually start until their eggs hatched.

“Over the next few months, a greater and greater proportion of the (magpie) population will start (swooping) and the time when the greatest number of chicks in nests is about now, late September,” Prof Jones said.

“Then it wanes and peters out and is all over by the end of October.”

Prof Jones said swooping season could be dangerous at times and it was important to keep away from swooping zones.

A man walks onto the street to avoid being attacked by the magpie at Holland Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Every year, eyes are lost and there a many serious bike accidents,” he said.

“The most important thing to do is keep away from the places where a magpie is swooping. “This is always a zone of about 100m surrounding the tree with the nest.

“The swoop is a message to keep away.”

Prof Jones said there were a few things could people could do to avoid getting swooped.

“Always keep your eyes on the bird as they never attack if they know you are watching. Otherwise, protect your face with an umbrella or stick,” he said.

“Never throw things at the bird.

“That will only prove to the birds that you are indeed a threat.”