Streets and parks become a battleground, as the birds - descending from above and attacking from behind - swoop down on anything they fear poses a threat to their offspring.

When they swoop, they come in from the front and can go for the eyes. Other swooping birds in Australia include noisy miners – small native grey and yellow birds common in urban areas.

It’s not the swooping birds that are particularly Australian (though they do represent the general “taking names and kicking arse” approach of nature in Australia), it’s how people respond ...

Estimates suggest only between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of magpies do so. Nor are magpies the only native bird that swoops; butcher birds and lapwings, or plovers, are also prone to the behaviour.

Magpies only swoop within about 100 metres of their nest, with Mr Dooley advising people to move “quickly and calmly out of the danger zone”, emphasising there is “no need to panic”.

Magpies are known to swoop from up to 100m away from their nests. The intelligent birds see cyclists as fast moving threats, so they are often targeted in swooping attacks launched by nesting magpies.

During those months, the birds are attempting to protect the area surrounding their young and their nests. Magpies are known to swoop from up to 100m away from their nests.

So lock your doors and stay inside … because it’s swooping season. Look, I think we can all admit that it’s a little funny that our native birds have truly got the better of us.

Swooping bird attack leaves real estate agent bleeding An aggressive swooping bird has attacked a real estate agent multiple times, with the victim likening some of the injuries to “stab” wounds.