Comments by "Helmuth Schultes" (@helmuthschultes9243) on "American Reacts to Aussie That Befriends MAGPIES - The Magpie Whisperer" video.

  1. I have had a bleeding wound behind an ear after getting hit a number of times running for my life in an open grassig paddock, to a friends home, stopped by three Magpies when I was just under 9 yrs old. I did however within a week of that learn to turn to look at them and they turn away from swooping. First time I have my toy cap pistol and turned letting off a couple of bangs, but then realised they left me alone even without the bang of the cap pistol. Over the years have fed a few in the backyard at home, though never to the extend of this Magpie whisperer . A friend in my street had a pet Magpie for over 5 years running around in his yard most of the time, though fully capable of flying. It even defended itself against cats and dogs that tried to harm it though got on well with the cat resident at that home even sharing the cat food bowl. It sadly got killed by the neighbour girl riding a bike into their driveway one day, catching the poor bird under a pedal. I have also had fun with swooping Magpies and even hawks, as they attacked my RC glider. By sharp manoeuvres had some success hitting the bird in flight as it attacked though had damage, holes in wing covering doped painted paper, silk or modern plastic film, or holes in the nose balsa block. Some friends had rubber bands holding wings on cut in flight, crashing their glider and one case the owner had the RC power switch just in front of the wing on top, and it got turned off by hit from a Magpie, causing free flight loss of the glider and RC gear on board. On power RC planes speed usually prevented much attack, but there were some collisions with both bird and model plane damages. Magpies like Crows are highly intelligent, learn quickly and remember well. They do quickly learn who they can trust and who to avoid. Are quite likely to steal odd smaller items for their nest and have at times messed clean clothes hanging out to dry. If raised with human contact can be very friendly pets, and given food, meat and some soft fruits can become regular visitors. If as in this whisperer we rer case an adult Magpie has developed friendship , food supply, they are highly likely to introduce their young ones too. Fear is mainly a perrsonal issue, and mainly lack of familiarity. As after that first bad event and learning to not fear them, I was commonly in trouble at school and once by police, for tempting them to swoop. Have never seen increased swooping as a consequence, if anything a reduction because I was always turning them away as they tried to swoop me.
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