I have been swooped on my way to work for the last month or so (this is
while cycling), and this prompts me to an observation.
Each time I have entered the territory of the swooping magpie I have heard
the angry 'Yeow Yeow' call before it has attacked. This hasn't always
helped me to predict which direction the bird was going to come from, but I
have never been swooped without hearing that call in the preceding few
seconds.
In the experience of birding-aus members, do magpies always give audible
warning before swooping? If so, it might be a useful thing to include in
public information about magpie attacks, as even a second's warning allows
one to crouch lower, or, for a cyclist, to slow down?as it is those keyed in
to the call are at a distinct advantage. Public information in the ACT, at
any rate, is pretty hopeless; the standard notice refers to a "Swooping
Bird", without even getting specific!
John Leonard
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John Leonard (Dr)
http://www.webone.com.au/~jleonard
PO Box 243, Woden, ACT 2606, Australia
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