‘Monster’ Sydney Magpie Shot Dead After 40 Complaints Over Three Years

Every Spring, people in Australia collectively shudder at the idea that they have to check their six whenever they're walking near potential magpie nests.

Aussies get attacked left, right and centre and sometimes the damage can be pretty severe.

While we've been told time and time again that we're not to harm the pesky black and white birds, it seems like one magpie in particular has copped some deadly consequences for swooping.

A magpie, described as 'monster' in size, has been shot and killed in Sydney's northern suburbs for its 'aggressive' and 'uncharacteristically territorial' behaviour.

seefit/Creative Commons

Over the past three years, the Hills Shire Council has received more than 40 complaints about the single bird and it has even been accused of causing a heart attack in one bloke.

Greystanes resident Peter Danieluk told the ABC: "I had my first heart attack in 2014 which reduced my heart function...so while trying to defend myself as it would strike, the adrenaline rush caused my heart and lungs to fill with blood and cause another heart attack.

"It just did not stop, even as I was losing consciousness on the ground."

It's nearly always male magpies that swoop and it's usually to protect the nest during mating season, which is during, or roughly around the same time as Spring.

People sometimes use ice-cream buckets with googley eyes to deter the birds but shooting one dead is certainly a step up.

Hills District Council and National Parks and Wildlife Service released a statement saying: "[It was] swooping underneath helmets...to attack people's faces.

"This bird was very aggressive and uncharacteristically territorial.

"Council does not usually take action to remove or destroy magpies - the usual procedure is to signpost known risk areas as birds are generally only aggressive for four to six weeks per year."

cypheroz/Creative Commons

While some people might be celebrating the move, it's not gone down well with some animal conservationists.

They've argued that the death of this monster bird could affect it's family's future.

Now, loads of people wouldn't be too upset at the idea of less swooping magpies, but these are creatures that should be protected.

According to the Royal Zoological Society of NSW, 'smaller - especially younger - people, lone people, and people travelling quickly (i.e., runners and cyclists) appear to be targeted most often by swooping magpies.'

So be careful for the next few months people.

Topics: Community, Animals, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie