Tips for keeping safe this swooping season

THE Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, or DEECA, are reminding Victorians that swooping season is approaching.

Native birds like magpies and plovers may swoop during spring, which coincides with their breeding season.

“Every spring, some native birds swoop to defend their eggs and young for a short time while their young are most vulnerable,” said a DEECA spokesperson.

“While swooping is unsettling, it’s normal behaviour for a range of native birds.”

Swooping is a way for birds to ensure humans and other animals do not interfere with their young and may occur in urban and rural areas, parks and gardens, along bike tracks or anywhere where birds nest.

“Not all birds swoop during the breeding season, so don’t be concerned simply because there are magpies or other common swooping birds in the area,” said the spokesperson.

“Remember, the swooping behaviour will only last for a few weeks, normally stopping soon after the young leave the nest.”

Steps can be taken to feel safer during this season including avoiding swooping hotspots, moving quickly but not running, wearing protective head and eye covers, not feeding or harassing birds and not destroying their nests.

An interactive bird swooping map can be found at wildlife.vic.gov.au.