I know it’s a running joke that Australian wildlife is so deadly, but genuinely, in my day-to-day, I almost never think about it.
Except for a couple of months in Spring. When riding my bike becomes a game of Russian roulette with whether or not I’m going to be swooped by magpies.
While you’re right that you can befriend them and they’ll remember you, our magpies aren’t corvids afaik. I used to bring plain cashews as part of my lunch and the local magpies were obsessed with them. There was one that would run along behind me whenever I walked outside, and she even followed me into buildings a few times.
The problem is that this only works if you have a particular magpie in your neighbourhood. If you’re talking about a dozen or more different magpies across all possible places you could want to go, it becomes completely impractical.
Eh, depends how much you hate swooping, but I’ve done it on a couple of 35-50 K loops I do regular with like 6 swoop points and jerky lasts so one bag is good for a season. One or two (occasionally three) stops and throws is good for the season, doesn’t seem that impractical, but YMMV.
It’s more than a running joke, it’s hilarious when the yanks say it. They have shit loads of venomous spiders and snakes, plus fucking wolves, bears, cougars, alligators and crocodiles.
But you can just give em the old ‘at least our schools aren’t shooting ranges’ too.
Ha. Looks like YouTube is telling me I’ve seen this before.
I recall having seen it before, but my recollection was of a man. Might be thinking of a different video. (I think he also tried taking the helmet off, and that worked.)
Also, by the gods that helmet was absolutely useless. There’s a zero percent chance of it staying on in the event of a crash, as loose as it was.
Yeah there’s a few, I had to look through some other ones but to me this is the classic one haha. There’s also one with a 10 year old screaming his head off while escaping on his scooter >.<
I have forged a peace deal between me and the magpies that live in my trees a few years, it’s a tense relationship, but they don’t swoop me and I don’t swing a plastic rake at them.
We have Australian magpies here in NZ too, and I was always told to be cautious around them but I’ve literally never seen them swoop at anyone.
Is there something about the Aussie environment that makes them aggro?
Fun thing about them is there’s always two of the bastards. So when my kids and I see one we always make it a game to find the second one. It’s often quite a challenge
Great! It means you have more time to enjoy the beauty of nature!
Wait, it’s Australia.
I know it’s a running joke that Australian wildlife is so deadly, but genuinely, in my day-to-day, I almost never think about it.
Except for a couple of months in Spring. When riding my bike becomes a game of Russian roulette with whether or not I’m going to be swooped by magpies.
Jerky. There’s a reason they call them the black and white mafia. Throw some jerky for them and they’ll remember you, corvines are damn smart.
While you’re right that you can befriend them and they’ll remember you, our magpies aren’t corvids afaik. I used to bring plain cashews as part of my lunch and the local magpies were obsessed with them. There was one that would run along behind me whenever I walked outside, and she even followed me into buildings a few times.
I stand corrected. I’ve even learned that before and it didn’t stick, maybe this time. Still damn smart and visually similar.
The problem is that this only works if you have a particular magpie in your neighbourhood. If you’re talking about a dozen or more different magpies across all possible places you could want to go, it becomes completely impractical.
Eh, depends how much you hate swooping, but I’ve done it on a couple of 35-50 K loops I do regular with like 6 swoop points and jerky lasts so one bag is good for a season. One or two (occasionally three) stops and throws is good for the season, doesn’t seem that impractical, but YMMV.
It’s more than a running joke, it’s hilarious when the yanks say it. They have shit loads of venomous spiders and snakes, plus fucking wolves, bears, cougars, alligators and crocodiles.
But you can just give em the old ‘at least our schools aren’t shooting ranges’ too.
For today’s lucky 10 000: https://youtu.be/YGGTcYfrEZU?si=xzjxe1ST5vWgImkD
Thank you, I’m one of the lucky 10 000
Ha. Looks like YouTube is telling me I’ve seen this before.
I recall having seen it before, but my recollection was of a man. Might be thinking of a different video. (I think he also tried taking the helmet off, and that worked.)
Also, by the gods that helmet was absolutely useless. There’s a zero percent chance of it staying on in the event of a crash, as loose as it was.
Yeah there’s a few, I had to look through some other ones but to me this is the classic one haha. There’s also one with a 10 year old screaming his head off while escaping on his scooter >.<
I have forged a peace deal between me and the magpies that live in my trees a few years, it’s a tense relationship, but they don’t swoop me and I don’t swing a plastic rake at them.
I’m trying to train my son, who loves chasing pigeons, not to chase magpies because they remember you
We have Australian magpies here in NZ too, and I was always told to be cautious around them but I’ve literally never seen them swoop at anyone.
Is there something about the Aussie environment that makes them aggro?
Fun thing about them is there’s always two of the bastards. So when my kids and I see one we always make it a game to find the second one. It’s often quite a challenge