Jon Clark's Magpie Alert helps Australians avoid swooping season hotspots
Sydney developer Jon Clark created Magpie Alert in 2016 after a magpie encounter to track attacks across Australia.
A terrifying encounter with a swooping magpie in 2013 sparked Jon Clark to build a database. The Sydney web developer created Magpie Alert to log and map aggressive magpies across Australia.
The site took off in 2016 and is now the nation's main resource for tracking which birds are swooping. Users report attacks and their location, and others verify and update the information.
The site receives some 4,000 to 6,000 reports each year and attracts around 45,000 users checking for updates. Local councils and Australia Post branches use it to alert communities.
September is peak swooping season. The ACT has the highest rate of incidents, likely because of the high number of cyclists there.
- 2013
- Attack trigger year
- 2016
- Launch year
- 4,000 to 6,000
- Annual submissions
- 45,000
- Active users
Why it mattersPeople can check if magpies are active in their area before heading out. Real-time crowd-sourced data helps communities avoid attack hotspots during swooping season.
AustraliaAustralians planning outdoor activities in spring can check Magpie Alert to avoid dangerous birds. The database is particularly useful in the ACT and across Australia during September to November.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 4 d ago
