Tasmanian magpies

[LG]

Until yesterday I was of the belief that magpies down here don't swoop cyclists (I had not been swooped in 10+ years), unlike the mainland where I have quite a lot of experience with the pesky buggers. Yesterday riding past the Hobart airport completely out of the blue I got smacked on the back of the helmet by a magpie which left me alone after the one hit. Was it just a rogue individual young bird, or are there other magpies around that have a go at cyclists?

[Shred11]

I've been puzzled by that. Magpies haven't been an issue for me - on bike or on foot. Plovers can be a bit of a nuisance, but nothing like what people report Magpies doing.

[AndyRevill]

I've only ever had one instance, about 3 years ago and I'm not even sure it was a magpie. I was riding to Margate and was just on the straight stretch near the old Hazell brothers site. Happened about 3 days on the trot and all I ever saw was a dark shape and no noise (didn't look too hard as it's not a good place to swerve). hasn't happened since.

I wondered at the time if whatever it was had a nest close by and was a bit jumpy.

cheers, Andy

[LG]

Thanks guys, so in general magpies seldom swoop in Tassie, but the occasional bird will have a go. What I found on Friday is that because I wasn't expecting to be swooped, it was a real surprise! I know when my daughter was at Dunalley primary a few years ago, they had to fence off part of the oval for a couple weeks to prevent the kids getting swooped, but that was only one year if I recall correctly.

[sogood]

Got swooped by a noisy miner a few days ago. What does that mean?

[harmonix1234]

There is a really gnarly old bugger that swoops at the 'Fork in the Road' roundabout in Kingston, just after the Antarctic Division building. Funny thing is, I have seen other cyclists go through with no problems, but me, always swoops me. Maybe it's something to do with my helmet/outfit/sunnies/free hub sound compared to other cyclists?

[rangersac]

I've only ever had one instance, about 3 years ago and I'm not even sure it was a magpie. I was riding to Margate and was just on the straight stretch near the old Hazell brothers site. Happened about 3 days on the trot and all I ever saw was a dark shape and no noise (didn't look too hard as it's not a good place to swerve). hasn't happened since.

That one hassled me a few times as well, but I assume from the carcass on the road and the lack of swooping afterwards that it met an untimely end from a car. The only other Maggie that has bothered me was one near the Snug Caravan Park, that buzzed me once on foot and never again after that! I'd have to say that having grown up on the mainland the maggies there were far more aggro.

[nailsaslegs]

Clarence St between the old BP and Clarence High there is a Maggie, every year swoops cyclists.

[Sircle]

I noticed that I get swooped when I'm wearing my helmet with a shiny patch on it. Almost knocked me off my bike a couple times.

[trailgumby]

Maybe it's a recent immigrant from Melbourne?