City of Port Phillip
In good news we’re coming to the end of swooping season now but unfortunately some local swooping sites intensify at this time as the young prepare to leave the nest.
Spring is in full swing – the flowers are blooming, the daylight hours are lengthening, the birds are nesting… but that also means some birds are swooping. Native birds can swoop in parks, gardens, along bike tracks, in school yards – anywhere birds are nesting.
Know your local swooping hotspots
To reduce your chances of getting swooped, check the swooping map to identify well-known local swoop sites and you can also add sites you’ve identified to alert others too. Avoid these spots if possible or if you must enter, move through the area quickly.
Tips to stay safe
Find other tips to stay safe during swooping season:
- Cover your head: Wear a hat or carry a stick or umbrella above your head. Cyclists should wear a helmet, dismount and walk through the area.
- Eyes at the back of your head: Birds may be less likely to swoop if they think you are watching them. Draw a pair of ‘eyes’ and attach to the back of hats and helmets.
- Don’t interfere with or throw stones at birds. This gives them added reason to see humans as a threat and may increase swooping behaviour.
- Don’t attempt to destroy nests. Native birds are protected wildlife and trying to remove their nests can lead birds to rebuild their nests, prolonging the swooping behaviour.
/Public Release. View in full here.
