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[–] 23 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Deliberately provoking them as a kid to get swooped is a cornerstone of any upbringing.
Also plovers swoop people too.

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  • [–] 18 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

    Wagga wagga citizen how do you call yourself? Wagga Waggers?

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  • [–] 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    Wait, that episode of Bluey was based on a real thing?!? WTF Australia?

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  • [–] 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    This is just normal behaviour for the seagulls here in the city lol

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  • [–] 8 points 3 weeks ago*

    Just feed them once a week with dog biscuits or meal worms - not too much though (and no mincemeat or bread)

    Kids used to get swooped on the way to the school bus. We started feeding them. Now kids in front of them get swooped, kids behind them get swooped, my kids are "the untouchables"... 🤣🤣 Magpies recognise people (like crows do)...

    If you can set up a routine, they'll even sing for you. Ours will sit on the mailbox and sing in the mornings or evenings. They even bring their babies along once they hatch.

    They can get ballsy - one year they started tapping on the glass of my back door when they were hungry. I gently shooed them away and only fed them out the front in the evenings. They got with the program super quick...

    Welcome to the party pal!

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  • [–] 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    As with most creatures in Australia I guess, the Magpies are out to get you and you could take precautions but The eyes don't work...

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  • [–] 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (4 children)

    Is this really about magpies? I'm asking because those are also local to Germany and aside from being known to be able to steal things they are harmless if you don't piss them off (crows too).

    Are those more dangerous or is the sign over the top?

    Honestly curious.

    Edit: Thanks for the Answers, TIL!

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  • [–] 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

    They aren’t just trying to scare you.

    They’ll take your eyes.

    Like. Peck your fucking eyes out.

    They’re also not related to the Eurasian magpie

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  • [–] 6 points 3 weeks ago

    Different species but similar evolutionary niche and look passingly similar hence the name. Australian magpies are highly territorial and will aggressively defend their nests during the egg rearing time of year resulting in some quite vicious attacks with walkers and cyclists often resorting to defensive measures to protect themselves from attack.

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  • [–] 6 points 3 weeks ago

    It's Australia, everything is deadly. Even your nettle species can kill you, what's it called, gimpy gimpy or some shit. Hawks that grab burning brands from fires to drop in new areas to chase out game they can grab, and everything else.

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  • [–] 4 points 3 weeks ago

    birds will do it, if you are close to thier nest.

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  • [–] 4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

    report a swooping bird incident

    Not sure why, but that's funny.

    Are they really that aggressive even without protecting their young/eggs? Because that I have experienced many times (Northern Europe, all sorts of birds).

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  • [–] 4 points 3 weeks ago
    [–] 4 points 3 weeks ago

    Moving here is anything but dull 😁😅

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  • [–] 3 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

    My experience of Corvids is not to piss them off, they hold grudges and pass them down through generations.

    Although, I feed the crows and ravens in my area, and they seem nice enough.

    I suppose, pissing them off might have been the issue here.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    Is there anything in Australia that isnt constantly murderous? Seems like everything is constantly aggro'd

    Magpies are supposed to be cute little cheeky things that'll steal your shinies if youre not careful.

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  • [–] [S] 3 points 3 weeks ago*

    I haven't heard of Echidnas killing people...

    Most animals leave you alone if you give them space, even in Australia, the swooping technically falls under that as you're invading their territory but it seems pretty random compared to other animal encounters.

    I guess if you want a cute bird that steals you stuff there's always the Kookaburra

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  • [–] 2 points 3 weeks ago

    Just walk around with a tennis racket?

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  • [–] 2 points 3 weeks ago

    At least there's only one

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  • [–] 1 point 3 weeks ago

    Not sure how similar they are to the magpies in Canada, but they can get vicious here. I saw them hunting a rabbit while on a walk by circling it and swooping down to keep it contained any time it tried to leave.

    I started yelling at them, shooed the bunny away, and bought a bird feeder

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