I have lived on the Gold Coast for 40 yrs and have been attacked since I was 12 yrs old riding to school. Enough is Enough!
These birds are down right dangerous and unpredictable.
The experts say move from the area quickly or go another way. Bolony! The bird is ONLY protecting their nest.
I ask, What if this is the only path? or What if the alternate route is also guarded by another bird. (I have even been constantly attack by a crow guarding a bridge!)
The quicker you move the more the bird swoops.
I am not attacking the nest! I say re educate the bird and tell it cyclists are not attacking your nest.<
Try crossing the road on your bike, look around for any cars coming before crossing the road and find a bird swooping directly in your face!
The experts say only 10% of the male magpie population attacks. Why can't we move the offending bird? From what I have heard the experts say the female will find a replacement male.
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Cha cha - August 28th, 2020
Gazza - September 1st, 2019
I get tired of these so called experts that come out every year with All this good advice as well as criticised people like us as if we are in the wrong.
You know they actually try to defend the magpie by suggesting that you can't blame the bird if it doesn't make contact with you & therefore your At fault if you fall over & cause injury to yourself.
I've had a lot of near misses while riding my bike still it hasn't stopped me from falling over because just the very presence of A potential bird Attack is enough to unnerve you & affect your concentration.
Regards
Gazza
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James McGregor - October 19th, 2017
Peter H - September 26th, 2015
Again I repeat my above comment. People who feed magpies exacerbate the problem by increasing the population (a pigeon egg of mince is a lot for an animal that eats worm size portions). It also sets up a dependence that can be cruel if the feeding stops. And again why bother protecting magpies if you are happy to kill a cow to feed the magpie. They are not in the numbers they exist in our urban environment native- they are part of the that environment we have created. Like red-back spiders, if these animals interfere with our lives and particularly with that of our kids we should simply kill them - and certainly we should not encourage them..
Peter H - September 12th, 2015
David Manion - September 12th, 2015
I observed a pair of Magies for about 7yrs nesting in a park opposite my home office window. They never attached me nor my family but WOW did they attached some people!
From August to November. Each attach was always random, ignoring people one minute then 1 hr latter going crazy and nailing children to the ground not giving them a chance to get up.The Magie attached from the front ,side rear you name it. As soon as they crossed the Magpie line it was on. (If Magie was in a bad mood)
As for your comment feeding the bird.
Not possible when one is riding along and bang from no were you are the target unexpectedly. You may say come back the next day and try feeding the bird. Try riding a bike for 4 hrs and keep mince fresh, let alone were to store it and then feed 2 or 3 attacking birds on your ride!
Further more, feeding the wild life is not a good idea, the animals then become reliant on us feeding them. What happens if we go on holiday or move? Who will feed the animal then? It will starve if it hasn't learnt how to hunt prior us feeding it.
I like the wild life, I just think the birds that attack should be moved and we have the right to defend yourselves.
Gummy - September 2nd, 2015
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