Breeding season for swooping native birds has begun and is expected to continue until the middle of November.
Residents are advised to take extra precautions when outdoors during this period, as swooping birds can be present across urban and rural areas.
Many native birds, such as magpies and masked lapwings (also known as spur-winged plovers), swoop to protect their eggs and young during breeding season.
Residents can minimise the risk of being swooped by:
- Avoiding nesting areas where birds are swooping if possible; or
- Protecting head and eyes; and
- Moving through the area quickly.
While swooping birds can be alarming, the behaviour is confined to approximately 10 per cent of birds and it’s rare for a bird to cause an injury.
Each breeding pair will also normally only swoop for four to six weeks until the chicks can fly.
All native birds are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975, so please do not harm or scare swooping birds, or interfere with their nests.
Councillor Jim Mason, Chair of the Environment portfolio, said residents should be prepared to modify their behaviour during this period.
Native birds are a vital feature of our natural environment and are rightly afforded legal protection. Residents can use some simple measures, like protecting your head and either avoiding or moving through a breeding area quickly, to minimise the chances of being swooped. We encourage residents who want to report a swooping bird on City-managed land to contact us.
To report a swooping bird on City-managed land, please call 5272 5272.
The behaviour of the bird will be assessed and, if necessary, warning signs will be placed at the site.
The Victorian Swooping Bird Map shows hot spots where people have been swooped during the current or previous breeding season.
To access this map and report swooping locations please visit www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/managing-wildlife/swooping-birds
