Are magpies territorial? Man records a bird targeting him on his way home after attacking him multiple times in the past

A man from Brisbane, Australia claims he is being targeted by a magpie on his route home from work. 25-year-old Alejandro Rios, who bikes home from his catering job, believes that the same bird has been attacking him daily since the first time he was pecked on his head on September 20, 2023, as per Fox News.

To prove his point, Rios recorded the bird and shared the clip on his TikTok account, @alejor98 on September 25, with the in-video caption:

"POV (Point of View) you live in AUS (Australia)"

View on TikTok

The clip shows the 25-year-old riding his bike as the bird flies behind him and then attempts to dive-bomb (known as swoop) and peck his head. Rios was wearing his bike helmet at the time.

An Australian magpie is a medium-sized bird, recognized by its black and white plumage with gold-brown eyes and blueish-white and black beaks. In addition to its accomplished song-like vocalizations, the bird is known for its aggressive territorial habits. While they live in groups, they spend a lot of their energy defending a territory from intruders, including other magpies.

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Rios claims that the magpie singles him out and does not attack other pedestrians or cyclists

Alejandro Rios, who hails from Cali, Columbia, explained that the incident takes place on the path he takes every day for home. The first time it occurred, he felt something knocking his head. At the time, he was worried and wondered if a fruit had fallen off a tree and hit him.

Talking about the daily happenings to SWNS, a news agency headquartered in the UK, he stated:

"‘I was only really worried the first time. By the end it was funny because I knew it was coming."

While it became a routine for the territorial bird to swoop at him, the 25-year-old adds that he exercises caution. He wears his helmet and makes sure the bird does not hit his eye. He also added zip ties to his helmet to make sure the bird would not injure his head.

According to a study by Dr. Darryl Jones with Griffith University, territorial birds are known to remember faces and target specific people.

Alejandro considers the bird his nemesis as it singles him not and does not bother other passers-by:

"I thought it hated me because I was on a bike but then I saw it let other cyclists pass with no issue... It’s a bit of a friend and a bit of a nemesis. I love animals so I want to say it’s my friend but it really, really hates me."

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More about magpies

A magpie (Image via YouTube/@The Backyard Naturalist)

In Australia, magpies are known to swoop at people, especially during breeding season, beginning when their eggs hatch and increasing in severity till their chicks leave the nest.

In his book, Magpie Alert: Learning to Live with a Wild Neighbour, Darryl Jones explains that the bird engages in a series of escalating behaviors to drive off intruders, which usually are younger people, lone people, and people traveling quickly i.e., runners and cyclists.

The least threatening behavior includes alarm calls and distant swoops, the next intensity is close swoops with an audible beak snap or peck. The most aggressive behavior includes a dive-bomb and striking the intruder's head with its chest.