Swooping season returns

THE Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has reminded walkers and riders that the return of spring this week has also brought the return of swooping season.

DELWP has received reports of birds such as magpies and masked lapwings swooping at locations around Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast.

Native birds swoop humans (and their dogs) to defend their young for the six to eight weeks between when they hatch and when they leave the nest.

Hotspots in previous years included urban and rural areas, in parks and gardens, along bike and walking tracks and in school yards or near shopping centres.

Local hotspots on Victoria’s Swooping Bird Map include near the corner of Wax Avenue and Pintail Drive in Torquay, near the intersection of Breamlea Road and Bluestone School Road in Connewarre, and three separate sites in each of Portarlington and Indented Head.

Swooping occurs every year during breeding season and is largely a defensive manoeuvre.

For some species, including magpies, this is carried out primarily by males. Swooping birds account for less than 10 per cent of the population.

Tips to avoid being swooped:

Know your local swooping hotspots

Avoid the area

Move quickly, but do not run

Cover your head with a hat, helmet or umbrella and consider drawing a pair of ‘eyes’ on the back of your hat or helmet, and

Do not harass or feed wildlife

To report a swooping incident by any species of bird, mark its location on the Swooping Bird Map at wildlife.vic.gov.au/managing-wildlife/swooping-birds.

Magpies and other native birds are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975. Under the Act, it is an offence to kill, take, control or harm wildlife in Victoria. Penalties apply to those found in breach.

“Being swooped by a territorial bird is no fun, but this is just normal bird behaviour,” DELWP senior wildlife management officer Wes Burns said.

“The best way to avoid being swooped is to avoid the area all together, though this isn’t always possible.

“If you do end up in an area where there is a swooping bird, try to protect your head and eyes and move quickly through the area without running.”