Swoop maps track aggressive magpies across Australia

As a terrifying new swooping season is upon us, there are some new resources to protect Aussies from being attacked by aggressive birds.

As a terrifying new swooping season is upon us, there are some new resources to protect Aussies from bird attacks.

A national map from community website MagpieAlert.com, which keeps an annual tally of attacks, has already reported 2911 attacks and 353 injuries this year.

The Victorian government has also released its own Swoop Map, allowing residents to track and report aggressive birds in their local areas.

On MagpieAlert.com, the largest percentage of attacks were in Queensland, with 758 reports, or 26 per cent. Victoria reported 742 attacks, or 25.5 per cent, and NSW reported 660, or 22.7 per cent, the ACT reported 531 attacks, or 18.2 per cent, while South Australia reported 177 attacks, 6.1 per cent and Western Australia has reported 42 attacks, just 1.4 per cent.

The results also show you’re far more likely to be swooped while riding a bike, walking or running than any other activity.

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The red magpies are those that resulted in an injury — the yellow are just a swoop. Picture: MagpieAlert.com

Magpie attacks by per cent. Graph: Magpiealert.com

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Magpiealert.com says its aim is “help others to avoid the dangerous birds” by allowing people to report their swoops and share information.

“The website also gathers information on the attack: the position (latitude/longitude), a description, date/time, what activity was taking place and whether an injury resulted.”

Victoria's extensive swoop mapping. Picture: Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

The Victorian government has also released information on swooping birds, including mapping of known aggressive bird locations around the state, and tips on how to protect yourself from being attacked.

One report from Malvern East, in south east Melbourne describes an attack from June 2020: “Occurred again on the 30th June, attacked someone else,” the report said. “Tries to attack peoples eyes.”

Another report from nearby simply said: “Attacked head!”

“Being aware of swooping areas can also help us to avoid venturing into the territories of these birds and take extra precautions while they are protecting their nests and young,” the advice from Wildlife Victoria says.

The Victorian map allows residents to toggle through and search their local area, as well as clicking through to find more details about the kind of attacks they might be subjected to if they go near a specific magpie.

The Victorian government has shared ten tips on its Swoop Map on how to protect yourself from swooping birds. This includes travelling in a group, moving quickly through the area, and drawing eyes on the back of your hat or helmet to deter aggressive birds.

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