Taking a piece of mince or taking a wide berth around the magpies nest may eventually convince the nervous magpie that he does not need to deter this individual anymore because she or he poses little or no risk, and who knows, may even become a friend in future.
If you have magpies around your home or neighbourhood that you would like to befriend, the first step is to let them see your face from a distance, trying to make eye contact with the bird. Gisela says you could also try and temp them with a little magpie-friendly food to show you aren't a threat.
They are unlikely to be accepted by wild magpies and have little chance of pair bonding and raising their own families. Magpies must not be converted into pets. It is illegal to take animals from the wild and keep them in captivity.
Their main diet in summer is grassland invertebrates, such as beetles, flies, caterpillars, spiders, worms and leatherjackets. In winter, they eat more plant material, such as wild fruits, berries and grains, with household scraps and food scavenged from bird tables or chicken runs, pet foods etc.
They will attack anything they consider to be a threat – from a sparrow to a dog to a human. The good news is that an individual magpie will swoop for only about six weeks until their chicks are fledged and leave the nest. Interesting fact: It's true, magpies remember your face.
Remember, magpies are simply trying to protect their territory. Stay calm, protect your face and walk away quickly. A magpie may become aggressive towards people because it has been harassed in the past.
Cheese and bread should be off limits to magpies too, she said. "I would say no to dairy products, and if you have to feed other treats [give magpies] a teeny-tiny amount of oats and maybe a teeny-tiny amount of nuts in miniscule proportions.
They mate for life
These extremely loyal birds are with their partners until death do they part. On the off chance the male magpie passes away before the female, the female will take on another male partner who will help her raise and protect her young.
And since magpies can live between 25 and 30 years and are territorial, they can develop lifelong friendships with humans. This bond can extend to trusting certain people around their offspring.
Special permits are necessary to keep most Australian wildlife (e.g. kangaroos, possums, wombats, koalas, kookaburras, magpies, hawks, many reptiles, frogs and fish). Usually only zoos and fauna parks are given permits to hold these animals.
As such, if you'd really like to give the magpies a treat, try collecting bugs and worms from your garden to feed them, or purchase crickets from your local pet store. One way to feed magpies and complete a fun little project at the same time is by building a foraging tray.
Forget fake eyes and spiky helmets — if you want to avoid being attacked by magpies, just make an effort to be friends with them.
However, as the well-known rhyme shows, it is generally only seeing a lone magpie that is supposed to bring bad luck. We're not entirely sure why this is but we do know that magpies often mate for life so seeing a single magpie may mean it has lost its mate and therefore the chance of it bringing bad luck is higher.
'Young birds and subordinates will bow down and shake their tail feathers when a dominant male or female is near,' Connelly explains.
Deterrents for magpies
Half-full plastic bottles or CDs hung up in trees to scare the predators away. Magpies don't like the way light reflects from the surface. GuardnEyes scarecrow balloon, available from Dazer UK.
Popular superstitions
A way of combating the bad tidings is to say, "Good morning, Mr Magpie - how's your lady wife today?" This means you're showing the magpie due respect, hoping that he won't pass bad luck on to you.
Males are white around the back of the neck, upper tail and shoulders. Females are grey coloured in these places. Magpies brown eyes and white colourings are the best way to tell them apart from other black and white birds like the Butcherbird or Pied Currawong.
Magpies have shown the ability to make and use tools, imitate human speech, grieve, play games, and work in teams.
Even small amounts of chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and even death in these birds. Additionally, any type of alcohol or caffeine should never be given to magpies, as it can cause liver damage, dehydration, and even death.
You can also give them wild fruits as a treat. Avoid feeding magpies raw meat, cheese, and bread.
Note: When feeding stone fruits or fruits with seeds such as Apples, Plums and Grapes - seeds must be removed! While fruit and vegetable are fantastic for your bird, they do not serve as a complete diet and should be supplemented with other dry foods such as seeds, nuts and pellets.
Don't fight back if a magpie swoops. Throwing sticks and stones or yelling at a magpie are likely to make it more aggressive next time anyone enters the defence zone around their nest.
Cover up. Protect your face and head by wearing sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat. You could hold an open umbrella above your head, but don't attempt to swat a magpie with it if he swoops. Stay calm, and keep moving.
Magpies swoop in spring
During this time, they will defend their nests and chicks, but also defend their surrounding territory. Male adults are using their body language – beak clapping, whooshing above your head and screeching – to warn you to keep away from their eggs or newly-hatched chicks.