Death by magpie

is extremely rare. Until two days ago there were two directly attributed to attacks by magpies. One of these was a case of tetanus from the resulting wound and the other was a head injury. Now there has been a third caused by a magpie swooping on a mother carrying a five month old infant. The mother fell and, in doing so, fatally injured the child. It must be a very, very difficult time for that young mother. Just how she will cope with all bird life is hard to comprehend.

Accidents caused by magpies are more common. Magpies are very territorial. They do swoop. They will peck.

When I was at university in Downunder's capital one of the professors was terrified of magpies. We used to arrive at almost exactly the same time each morning. If he saw me he would always ask about the local magpies in swooping season. I kept telling him to wear a hat or carry an umbrella. He still lived in fear of the magpies.

Perhaps it had something to do with an injury to another member of staff in the same faculty. N.... rode a bike and, like me, was in danger of being swooped on unless certain avoidance measures were taken. One afternoon however he had to give a lecture to a group of doctors elsewhere. This was before bike helmets were compulsory and N... pedalled off to the venue. On the way he was swooped and pecked on the head. He arrived at venue bleeding copiously from the head wound and one of the doctors he was addressing had to render first aid before N... could start. After that N... wore a helmet on which he had painted two eyes at the back. He was not pecked again while I was there. 

I wore a helmet anyway. I have been swooped but not hurt. I slow right down at a point where I know there is always a nest. It might now save me but it lessens the risk.

Magpies are a protected species. You may not kill them. Some people feed them in an attempt to prevent being swooped on. I knew cousins who lived together. The older of the two could put tiny pieces of minced meat on her finger and the magpies would take it from her. They liked grapes and other food as well. Every morning they would appear and demand their "breakfast". It is not something I would encourage but other people do it as well.  Even that won't necessarily stop them swooping although it may reduce the tendency.

The professor who was so frightened by magpies was well known for his fear of them. If he missed seeing me outside the building and then saw me inside he would ask me for a "magpie report".  

Why me? He thought I was more aware because I pedalled. I didn't drive.

But the good professor could also laugh at himself. Someone had cut a cartoon from the paper and put it on his office door. He had left it there. It had appeared during the Commonwealth Games and showed a man running, Underneath was the caption, "Magpie assisted world record disallowed."