Magpie attacks

Triathlon Forum
1

Seeing the video of the Aussie magpie attack had me rolling around my chair in fits of laughter.

We have magpie attacks here in New Zealand as well. To the uninitated, they seem quite dangerous. To those of us that have been attacked many times over the years, they are pretty much a non issue.

I was stopped at a cafe a bunch of years ago, when a fellow cyclist entered. He was covered in road rash, dust, dirt and gravel, plus blood trickling down his arms and legs. He claimed he’d been knocked off his bike by a Magpie. Sure, a magpie had hit him and he’d come off his bike, but being “knocked off” had to be a stretch.

Many times on my rides around the country, I’ve been attacked by magpies. It only happens in spring/early summer when they are protecting their nests. It happens in the same places every year, where they seem to nest in the same place.

After a number of near misses to myself and friends, and being somewhat concerned (especially after seeing the guy noted above), I got struck several times. The first time I laughed openly. I realized that my perception of danger was way overblown. Magpies are not overly large birds, being smaller than ostriches, smaller than geese and even smaller than shit-hawks (seagulls). They weigh very little. Even when they mis-judge the attack and actually hit you with their body, the mass/force involved is minimal. I’ve never had more than a slight ‘bob’ of the head, like nodding to a fellow cyclist, when I’ve been hit. I always wear a helmet so there’s never been any damage and I’ve never been “knocked off”. I’ve never even noticed any effect on my line of travel. Just a slight head bobble. Most times it’s just the feet that hit and while that makes more noise, it has even less effect.

While it can be scary or intimidating at first, it’s actually a fun distaction on a long ride. It’s even more entertaining to see fellow cyclists waving their arms around like a lunatic in an asylum!

I must also say that in the video, the magpie had many worms in it’s beak so it was an attack of opportunity, on its way home so to speak. Most of my attacks have been by Magpies perched on a branch (I now know which trees they sit in :slight_smile: and having a proper attack. I see them coming from the side, but have also had attacks from the rear. Regardless, it’s all good fun.

2

What’s next - are you going to tell us the funnelwebs are harmless also? (Not that you have those in NZ)

:slight_smile:

3

What’s next - are you going to tell us the funnelwebs are harmless also? (Not that you have those in NZ)

:slight_smile:

Australia is FULL of badass sh*t. Snakes, crocodiles, sharks etc, but Magpies are not one of them. As long as you’re not into nano spelunking, funnelwebs are not a major concern.

and yes I choose to live in NZ because it has none of those things.

Australians claim to not be sheep shaggers, but that’s only because they have such ugly sheep (all the pretty ones are in NZ!)

4

They may not be dangerous but magpies are assholes.

5

Last year one swooped me from behind and dive-bombed his beak into the back of my ear, drawing blood and causing bruising… hardly harmless! The things can take eyes out too…

6

I’ve never been to The Land Down Under, but it seems to me as an American that all sorts of wildlife are out to get you. Even the birds!

7

Last year one swooped me from behind and dive-bombed his beak into the back of my ear, drawing blood and causing bruising… hardly harmless! The things can take eyes out too…

Bears, snakes, crocodiles, deer or moose etc are dangerous. Magpies are a humourous annoyance. You can cut yourself shaving, but that’s only a humourous annoyance too. It’s like a hand held magpie :slight_smile:

Eyes? I never ride without eye protection. Sunnies when it’s sunny and clear sunnies when it’s not sunny. I’ve had enough bugs and road crud bounce off my helmet and face that I simply no longer ride without eye protection. Oakley M- Frames (yes I’m old) also provide great wind and rain protection too.

8

Here we go, said video:

http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/We_Noticed_Polar_Magpies…_4700.html
.

9

… the magpie had many worms in it’s beak…Hmmmm. Potential for refueling similar to the airforce?

10

I’ve never been to The Land Down Under, but it seems to me as an American that all sorts of wildlife are out to get you. Even the birds!

Maybe we should petition the government to change the law to allow cyclist to carry big bad mother f’n handguns so we can deal with the threat from above? or not!

in the meantime, some put stickers of eyes on the back of the helmet so the magpies think that you are looking at you… they never attack from your front, only from the rear or side where they think they’re not seen.

btw, what handgun would be most suitable in this case?

11

That was obviously an attempt at satire. But on on slightly more serious note, could there be potential for little drones carrying a water bottle to fly along next to a rider at aid stations?

12

Tennis racket :slight_smile:
.

13

That was obviously an attempt at satire. But on on slightly more serious note, could there be potential for little drones carrying a water bottle to fly along next to a rider at aid stations?

Good thinking Batman.

back to magpies. I used to stop before magpie zones and pick up a handful of gravel, to see if I could hit one (you’d get about 1 second notice, via a shadow on the road). As none ever attacked me when i had a handful of gravel, I gave up trying. I’d love to hear the commentary in the magpies head when he thought he’d have me, only to get some anti aircraft fire at close range. LOL

14

Ha! Magpies are nothing. We have red winged blackbirds here. Sure, they are smaller (about half the size) but the little buggers are ferocious (we have magpies too). The RWBB hang out at the side of the road in swampy areas in the bullrushes or in trees and wait till you pass by, then they swoop down and try and hit you from the rear. And yes, that is when they are in nest protection mode. While there are some on the route that I frequently cycle on, there aren’t too bad. Many years ago they used to be on a route that I ran on. They knew when I would be coming by and would mass up waiting for me. I’d run by and they would start their attack. Like someone mentioned, I picked up a handful of gravel so that when they were behind me and close (with their little sharp claws outstretched reaching for me), I’d turn around and fling a handful of gravel at them. That taught them to keep their distance, which in that case was about 5 feet but every morning they’d be there, waiting for me and letting me know not to deviate from my path.

Oh, and I’ve seen RWBB dive bombing large hawks, 3 to 4 times their size, driving them away from their territory.

15

For those who are bothered by magpies, attaching zip ties on the helmet works well.

16

I had a magpie hit me full on the back of the neck with its body in the Coromandel a few weeks ago. It was actually launching its entire body into me because it felt like someone had thrown a plastic bag full of softish stuff at the back of my neck. Happened about 3 times. The worst bit is turning around and seeing it line you up.First time I did it I think it kinda stunned itself as it landed on the ground and looked kinda dazed. The other two times were on the return trip.

17

The eyes don’t work…

http://youtu.be/YGGTcYfrEZU

18

The eyes don’t work…

http://youtu.be/YGGTcYfrEZU

either do cable ties, but the eyes don’t look anywhere near as dorky

19

Griffith University behavioural ecologist Darryl Jones said he and fellow researchers had recorded about 1000 magpie attacks a year in southeast Queensland during a 1990s study. He said while serious injuries were rare, “at least one eye is lost every year”.
“In 1997, four kids across Australia lost eyes as a result of magpie attacks,” he said.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/police-refuse-to-shoot-magpie-which-attacked-schoolgirl-at-tweed-heads/story-e6freoof-1226131276731

20

Griffith University behavioural ecologist Darryl Jones said he and fellow researchers had recorded about 1000 magpie attacks a year in southeast Queensland during a 1990s study. He said while serious injuries were rare, “at least one eye is lost every year”.
“In 1997, four kids across Australia lost eyes as a result of magpie attacks,” he said.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/...freoof-1226131276731]

As a Kiwi, my response has to be

“that says more about Aussie kids than magpies”

Ok since we’re keeping score, Magpies are now the 17th deadly/dangerous thing in Australia, that makes New Zealand a far better place to live.

I remember as a kid, growing up north of Wellington (notoriously windy) and hearing someone complain about the wind. Someone else responded “it’s not windy until you see the Magpies walking”. sure enough, several days later while out driving with mum, we saw two Magpies walk from a paddock, beaks into the wind, across the ditch then walk across the road to the paddock on the other side. Apparently THAT was a windy day.