magpies are evul!

been telling everyone just that.. for the past 4 years and nobody's believed me til they've experienced an attack first-hand. and then they scream in terror. hmph.

well here's more proof on how nasty these viscously territorial birdbrains can be ~

Man fights for life after magpie attack
By Geraldine Mitchell
October 27, 2004

A MAN who crashed his bicycle after a magpie attacked him was fighting for his life in a Gippsland hospital yesterday.

He was taken to the Latrobe Regional Hospital with serious head injuries and later flown to the Alfred where he was in a critical but stable condition last night.

Police said the man fell off his bike while crossing Tom's Bridge north of Morwell about 9am.

The man, 51, told paramedics he had lost control of his bike after a magpie attacked him.

Last year, a Mildura man, 74, died after a magpie attack in which he received a serious eye injury.

Magpies swoop in spring to protect their chicks and territory, according to the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

To prevent attacks, the department suggests travelling in a group or avoiding the area. Cyclists are also urged to dismount and walk past a swoop area.

Herald Sun