Beware – it is magpie nesting season and the “infamous swoopers” are regarded as so clever, they will bear in mind faces.
South Australia’s Division for Atmosphere and Water ecologist Karl Hillyard mentioned individuals who had been swooped earlier than had been prone to be swooped once more with magpies typically returning to the identical space to breed yearly.
Whereas Macquarie College behavioural ecologist Ben Ashton mentioned the behaviour might even seem notably deliberate.
“Magpies are essentially the most infamous swoopers and will persistently goal a specific particular person, whereas ignoring others,” he mentioned.
Swooping magpies defending their nests are a spring hazard in Canberra. Supply: AAP / Alan Porritt
However each ecologists agree the assaults should not malicious, with the birds actively looking for to guard their nests or their younger.
“And it isn’t simply people that get swooped by magpies,” Ashton mentioned.
“Different chook species, akin to ravens, and different animals akin to canine, get swooped as properly.”
A wedge-tailed eagle comes underneath assault from a local Australian Magpie. Supply: AAP / Dean Lewins
When is swooping season and why do magpies assault?
Typically, swooping occurs when a passing human or animal is taken into account a risk to a younger magpie or magpie egg.
That is the time when magpies are most susceptible which explains why swooping has been advised to be an anti-predator adaptation.
Breeding season for maggies runs from about August to October.
Females normally lay between three and 5 eggs earlier than sitting on them for about three weeks till they hatch.
“Throughout this time, male magpies take up the function of the protector, with some utilizing swooping as a tactic to defend their nests,” Hillyard mentioned.
“They may do that from the time the eggs are laid till the younger birds are able to fly, which is generally about 4 to 5 weeks after hatching.”
The best way to keep away from a magpie assault?
Altering your route is taken into account one of the simplest ways to keep away from being swooped, with magpies solely prone to defend an space inside 100 metres of their nests.
However there are different ways.
The consultants recommend strolling fairly than working away, sporting sun shades on the again of your head or a hat with a pair of eyes drawn on the again.
Much less refined will be sporting a motorbike or skateboard helmet or carrying an open umbrella.
Hillyard mentioned it was essential to not act aggressively.
“In the event you wave your arms or shout, the birds will see you as a risk to the nest, not simply this yr however probably for years to return,” he mentioned.
And whereas it may appear we’re all underneath assault, in actuality, Ashton mentioned solely about 10 per cent of magpies swoop.
In his 10 years of researching the birds, he is by no means been focused.
How clever are magpies?
In his work, Ashton is utilizing magpies as a research species to reply questions central to the understanding of cognitive evolution.
“One of many important hypotheses for the evolution of intelligence predicts that the challenges of residing in advanced social environments selects for higher intelligence,” he mentioned.
“In step with this, my colleagues and I discovered a relationship between group measurement and cognitive efficiency in magpies.
“We discovered that magpies residing in bigger teams carried out higher in a collection of cognitive duties.”
Macquarie College behavioural ecologist Ben Ashton is finding out magpie behaviour. Credit score: Provided
They’re now finishing up a collection of extra experiments to find out what’s driving that relationship.
“For instance, we’re utilizing social community evaluation to see if it’s the quantity and power of social relationships that drive cognitive improvement,” Ashton mentioned.
“We’re additionally researching cognitive senescence, the gradual decline in cognition with age.”
Cognitive senescence is properly documented in people, however largely unknown in wild animals.
