The ‘Magpie” season on the Bellvista/Bells Reach estates occurs between September until late November.

Magpies are not the only variety of birds to give residents a ‘hard time’ so this advice isn’t just limited to Magpies.  The advice below is from a Government website on dealing with magpies during their egg laying season.

Use the following techniques to avoid or reduce the impact of a magpie attack.

1. Never deliberately provoke or harass a magpie. Throwing sticks or stones at magpies usually makes a magpie more defensive. Speak with children who are seen to be ‘protecting’ their own brothers and sisters but in reality are making the birds even less tolerant of other children!

2. Avoid areas where magpies are known to swoop. (Remember, magpie aggression lasts only a few weeks and magpies usually only defend a small area of about 100m in radius around their nest.)

3. Find the bird and keep watching it when entering a magpie territory. If swooped on, don’t crouch in fear or stop. Move on quickly but don’t run.

4. Bike riders – dismount and walk through nesting magpie territory, wear a helmet, and fit an orange traffic flag.

5. Bike riders – turn your helmet into an echidna! Attach a dozen 30 cm ‘quick ties’ to the slots in your bike helmet so that they stick out like spines. These can keep attacking magpies away.

6. Wear a hat or carry an umbrella to protect yourself. A magpie will attack initially from behind. When a magpie is tricked into believing the target is alert, an attack is stopped or not even started.

Learning to live with magpies can be rewarding. You can observe local magpies, study their behaviour, and listen to their songs. We share the same living space. Learning to live together is an important step towards building a better living environment.

Previous Bellvista/Bells Reach’s Magpie Hotspots:

1. There is one aggressive fellow at the Bellvista Blvd/Dumbarton Ave  roundabout.  He especially likes bike riders!

2. A young family on their daily bike ride  has told of a magpie giving them a hard time near the playground beside Glennie Close/O’Reilly Drive.

However they have their dogs with them and the dogs keep the magpie at bay!

3.  Another bike rider has reported some inconsistent activity along the pathway near Northcote Cres on the far western side of the estate.

4. The photo above left shows how one local bike rider keeps them at bay.  This method of attaching large cable ties to the helmet will deter magpies from actually attacking.

You may still be swooped but they keep their distance! Click on the photo for a larger view.