If you’ve ever been swooped by a bird while walking or riding a bike, you’re not alone! It’s almost like a rite of passage once Spring hits! And while it can feel a little scary, birds don’t do this because they want to go out of their way to hurt you. Instead, they are just being very protective of their nests and the little chicks in them. This behaviour ends once the chicks leave their nests in a few weeks.
Council installs signs in busy areas where swooping is reported and confirmed. Council has also recently published on social media about swooping bird behaviour and safety tips.
If you do get swooped, please report the location via https://www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/managing-wildlife/swooping-birds. It’s very easy to add a new swoop site to the map. You can also contact Council if you are particularly concerned about a location.
Thanks to a resident notifying us, Perry Road is currently being assessed for signage.
But what else can you do to keep yourself safe? You can:
- Avoid the area if possible and find a detour
- Move quickly and calmly, but don’t run
- Wear a hat or use an umbrella (and if you’re riding, wear your helmet!)
Please do not destroy nests or hurt wildlife – it can prolong the swooping behaviour and also give them another reason to increase swooping people because they will see humans as a threat.