Why Do Birds Swoop?
Why do magpies swoop? It's the question of the spring season. Here's why and what you can do to be safe
In this extract from new book Why Do Birds Do That? by Dr Grainne Cleary, we delve into why birds swoop and what they are protecting. Plus, we cover the ever-important advice on how to protect oneself from what turns out to be very understandable behaviour.
‘Common Myna‘ by chamal.desilva is marked with CC0 1.0.
Bird attacks on people represent one of the most prominent human–wildlife conflicts, and birds such as magpies and masked lapwings often respond to humans using anti-predator responses. Birds are not indiscriminate; they can distinguish between different human threats and adjust their defence behaviour to the perceived level of threat.
A study published in 2013 by Adam Cardilini and his team at the Centre for Integrative Ecology at Deakin university, Australia, investigated the response of masked lapwings to human stimuli.
The study predicted that lapwings would display higher levels of aggression towards a person pushing a lawnmower than a pedestrian, because the former represents a greater risk to eggs or young. The researchers also predicted that eye stickers on a helmet would reduce, and perhaps effectively mitigate, lapwing swooping. The final prediction was that more aggressive lapwing pairs would experience greater reproductive success, in the form of hatching success.
Bird attacks on people represent one of the most prominent human–wildlife conflicts, and birds such as magpies and masked lapwings often respond to humans using anti-predator responses. Birds are not indiscriminate; they can distinguish between different human threats and adjust their defence behaviour to the perceived level of threat.
A study published in 2013 by Adam Cardilini and his team at the Centre for Integrative Ecology at Deakin university, Australia, investigated the response of masked lapwings to human stimuli.
The study predicted that lapwings would display higher levels of aggression towards a person pushing a lawnmower than a pedestrian, because the former represents a greater risk to eggs or young. The researchers also predicted that eye stickers on a helmet would reduce, and perhaps effectively mitigate, lapwing swooping. The final prediction was that more aggressive lapwing pairs would experience greater reproductive success, in the form of hatching success.
‘Masked lapwing‘ by odd.organisms is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.
What did the study find? Masked lapwings responded more aggressively to a person pushing a lawnmower than a pedestrian, with the birds remaining closer to the nest in the presence of a lawnmower. Adding eye stickers on the back of a pedestrian’s head decreased the swooping behaviour. Interestingly, when eye stickers were worn by a person pushing a lawnmower, swooping behaviour increased!
We clearly need more research into the behaviour of lapwings.
Another group of birds that are known to mob are native noisy miners. These birds gather in groups to mob with loud repetitive calls, swooping, bill clattering, chasing, attacking or harassing predators, either alone or with other birds. One of their most dominant anti-predator strategies is to mob vocally while executing swooping flights. This can be so intense that it sometimes results in injury or death of both the victim and the would-be attacker.
What did the study find? Masked lapwings responded more aggressively to a person pushing a lawnmower than a pedestrian, with the birds remaining closer to the nest in the presence of a lawnmower. Adding eye stickers on the back of a pedestrian’s head decreased the swooping behaviour. Interestingly, when eye stickers were worn by a person pushing a lawnmower, swooping behaviour increased!
We clearly need more research into the behaviour of lapwings.
Another group of birds that are known to mob are native noisy miners. These birds gather in groups to mob with loud repetitive calls, swooping, bill clattering, chasing, attacking or harassing predators, either alone or with other birds. One of their most dominant anti-predator strategies is to mob vocally while executing swooping flights. This can be so intense that it sometimes results in injury or death of both the victim and the would-be attacker.
Australian Magpie by Anne & David (Use Albums) is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.
What about magpies? Magpies are territorial; swooping behaviour plays an important role in deterring predators that may enter their territory. In collaboration with all other adult species members in their territory, magpies orchesrate well-executed attacks.
Remember, swooping is not designed to attack or even make contact with the individual being swooped. Swooping during flight can also be dangerous for the magpie, because the impact could break its neck. The emphasis of the swoop is on warning.
If the recipient of this warning (often a human intruder) responds favourably—that is, takes note of the warning—the magpie male will cease pursuit. If the same person comes past again they will not get swooped.
What about magpies? Magpies are territorial; swooping behaviour plays an important role in deterring predators that may enter their territory. In collaboration with all other adult species members in their territory, magpies orchesrate well-executed attacks.
Remember, swooping is not designed to attack or even make contact with the individual being swooped. Swooping during flight can also be dangerous for the magpie, because the impact could break its neck. The emphasis of the swoop is on warning.
If the recipient of this warning (often a human intruder) responds favourably—that is, takes note of the warning—the magpie male will cease pursuit. If the same person comes past again they will not get swooped.
So what can you do when you are getting swooped? Walk quickly out of the territory, trying not to swing your arms over your head because this will just make the bird more annoyed. If you are on a bike, dismount and walk quicky through the area. Cable ties on bike helmets can stop the bird from making contact with the helmet, but the bird rarely wants to make contact— swooping is a warning! So please, just give the bird some space and take a different route if needed. Swooping only happens for a few weeks while the female is sitting on the eggs in the nest. Due to a lack of good-quality nesting trees not all magpies get to breed, so those that can want to make sure they do it successfully. One way of doing this is by making sure there are no threats or predators in the area. The magpie is also right—we are often a threat!
This is an edited extract from Why Do Birds Do That? by Dr Grainne Cleary, $32.99, published by Allen & Unwin. For the prologue please read Long Weekend Read: Why Do Birds Do That?
When we think about swooping or mobbing birds, magpies, masked lapwings and noisy miners are often those that come to mind. But why do birds swoop? Generally, birds swoop for one of two reasons: to protect their eggs and young during the breeding season and/or to get access to food resources. The aim of swooping is to threaten or bluff, with the intention of warding off intruders from their territory. Many birds exhibit aggressive behaviours intended to drive a potential predator from the location of the nest or chicks.
Swooping is a defensive behaviour and a bird will often swoop potential threats aggressively, especially threats to its eggs or young. The bird is acting from an instinct to protect its offspring. Because birds live with the constant threat of predation, this has a significant impact on a bird’s lifestyle because it has been shown to influence the choice of nest site, optimal clutch size and various aspects of breeding behaviour.
Indeed, predation plays such a large part in determining reproductive success that tactics to mitigate nest losses to predators may be more important than other traits to increase fecundity.