General News
1 September, 2022
Be prepared, not scared for swooping season
Spring has sprung in the Central Goldfields, and with it comes warnings for swooping season. Native birds including magpies and masked lapwings (plovers) may now begin swooping during their breeding season, and Department of Environment, Land, Water...

Spring has sprung in the Central Goldfields, and with it comes warnings for swooping season.
Native birds including magpies and masked lapwings (plovers) may now begin swooping during their breeding season, and Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) senior wildlife projects officer Leila Brook said some native birds swoop to defend their eggs and young for the six to eight weeks until they leave the nest.
“Swooping can catch us by surprise, but it is normal behaviour for some territorial birds,” she said.
“Swooping is basically a scare tactic to warn people and animals not to come near their nesting young. Birds may swoop people or animals, so be mindful of your dogs too.
“However, not all birds swoop to protect their eggs and young during the breeding season, so don’t be concerned simply because there are magpies or other common swooping birds in the area.
“During this time of year less than 10 percent of birds actually swoop and even fewer make contact.
“If you are worried about being swooped, you can do a few things to protect yourself.”
To avoid being swooped, DELWP recommends:
• Know your local swooping hotspots
• Avoid the area if possible
• Move quickly, but do not run
• Cover your head with a hat, helmet or umbrella, but don’t wave it around
• Do not harass or feed birds.
To find local swooping hot spots or to upload your own, you can visit Victoria’s Swooping Bird Map — although at the time of publication on Thursday afternoon none had been added in the Central Goldfields Shire — at www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/managing-wildlife/swooping-birds
It is illegal to harass or harm native birds and other wildlife without authorisation.