Most Australians welcome the arrival of spring as it finally drags us out of the horrible winter conditions we have to endure for months.
But with spring-like weather, we also get magpie swooping season.
Every year, Aussies walking to school or work have to watch themselves just in case they get dive bombed.
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Sadly for people in South Australia, that swooping season has started early.
Dr Deb Kelly, from South Australia's Department of Environment, said there have already been dozens of reports of magpies protecting their territory in the state.
She said: "It seems to be a bit early, usually it's the last full moon of August they start warbling and calling for a mate and establishing their territories.
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"I guess they don't check their dates very well, maybe it's the change in the weather. If you had an aggressive pair last year, they'll probably be back this year in the same spot."
The swooping season usually gets underway around the end of August or the beginning of September. But South Australia's warmer weather this year could be causing the birds to kick off mating season a little earlier.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) manager Sue Walker told the Northern Star: "They swoop because they are protective of their nest and young - any perceived threat can cause some magpies to become aggressive.
"While it can be very frightening, these magpies are usually just warning and generally only defend within 100m of their nest site. Magpies are a protected species and it is an offence to harm them."
Anyone who wants to walk along their normal route could be swooped by one of these black and white birds without a second's notice. But it's not just one nip at the head; you could be attacked several times as you pass through an area that a magpie deems its turf.
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Researchers reckon only around nine per cent of magpies swoop during the peak season and they're almost always males.
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.'
Some people claim you're supposed to wear an ice-cream bucket with sticks or googley eyes on the back to ward off the swoopers but that only works in some cases.
People who are in the firing line so to speak are told to either avoid the area, be aware of where the bird is because it'll usually swoop from behind, walk don't run because they'll perceive that as a threat, dismount from your bike or horse because apparently they're threatening, and never harass them.
Featured Image Credit: Matt StacyTopics: News, Animals, Australia