AS the temperatures rise, so do tensions between humans and territorial birds protecting their young.
Swooping season has officially arrived as native birds enter their breeding season.
“Swooping is a normal, temporary behaviour for native birds like magpies, butcherbirds and masked lapwings to defend their eggs and chicks for a short time while their young are most vulnerable,” said Lachlan Clarke, statewide manager of wildlife advisory services at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. “Think of it as a warning sign. They’re telling you to keep your distance. While it can be a bit unsettling, it’s rare for them to make contact.”
Swooping can occur in both urban and rural areas, including parks, gardens, and along bike paths.
“Not all birds swoop during the breeding season, so the presence of magpies or other common swooping birds does not necessarily mean you will be swooped,” said Clarke.
Some protective measures people can take are to avoid known swooping hotspots, move quickly but don’t run if near a swooping bird, wear protective head and eye coverings, don’t harass birds nor feed them or destroy their nests.
To report a swooping incident on Victoria’s interactive swooping bird map, visit www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/managing-wildlife/swooping-birds.
First published in the Frankston Times – 9 September 2025