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Spring has sprung
And Australia's wildlife is out manhunting once again... Even the birds want a piece of you!
"[Australia] has more things that will kill you than anywhere else", writes Bill Bryson in his book Down Under...
Of the world's ten most poisonous snakes, all are Australian. Five of its creatures - the funnel-web spider, box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, paralysis tick and stonefish - are the most lethal of their type in the world. This is a country where even the fluffiest caterpillars can lay you out with a toxic nip, where seashells will not just sting you but actually sometimes go for you. - Bryson, Bill (2000) Down Under
Bill forgot something... The magpies!
Magpies are crow-like, native Australian birds... And in keeping with good-old Aussie zoological traditions, they will kill you if they get a chance! At least during nesting season - August through October. During those months, the magpies go a bit spacko and defend their territory from any and all intruders.
Walking around Brisbane - or most Australian urbanized areas for that sake - you may well observe otherwise normal people running, crouching, screaming or yelling for no apparent reason... That is, until you become aware of a rapidly passing bird-like shadow (magpies tend to attack from behind, from the direction of the sun), hear an evil screech and feel an unusual kind of sensation somewhere on your head... You are now under attack by a daddy-magpie and will find yourself joining the club of crouching, running, screaming pedestrian.
The magpie attacks can be a huge problem... Especially if you happen to neighbour a nest! (That happened to me last year, and I got attacked at least five times! Nerve wrecking!) So in their wisdom, state governments and other organizations set up websites and run TV ads on how to survive the magpie season. (Check the link section at the end of the article!)
The most common advice is to wear a hat and sunglasses, and possibly bring an umbrella. Moreover, cyclists are advised to step off their bikes if under attack, as many magpie related injuries occur when bikers do acrobatic, often aerial stunts to get out of harm's way.
Researchers even do studies on magpie attacks and all the interesting injuries that result. A report by Renate Kreisfeld shows 20 per cent of magpie injuries end with hospitalization of the victims. The most affected body part is the eye (20.3 per cent of cases).
Interestingly, according to the report, the most common type of injuries is fractures sustained when falling of a bike (or even a horse) or hitting trees!
But why in the world should anyone complain? After all, magpies are nature and nature is good... At least, that's what the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency says:
Learning to live with magpies can be rewarding. You can observe local magpies, study their behaviour, and listen to their songs. We share the same living space. Learning to live together is an important step towards building a better living environment. - Environmental Protection Agency
I just wish the "learning to live together" part went for magpies as well! :o)
Let me just put it this way... Australia is a very interesting country, and you never get too city slick... There is always some wildlife around, waiting to kill you! In the words of Bill Bryson:
Pick up an innocuous coneshell from a Queensland beach, as innocent tourists are all too wont to do, and you will discover that the little fellow inside is not just astoundingly swift and testy, but exceedingly venomous. If you are not stung or pronged to death in some unexpected manner, you may be fatally chomped by sharks or crocodiles, or carried helplessly out to sea by irreststible currents, or left to stagger to an unhappy death in the baking outback. It's a tough place.
Magpie links:
-Report on magpie injuries
-Safe cycling in magpie country
-Environmental Protection Agency
-ABC radio on magpies (Listen to the audio!)
Posted by Marius Berg Askildsen
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