Have you ever felt like magpies were out to get you? Are you targeted by nature's diver bombers when all you want to do is take a carefree jaunt through a crowded park?
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You might be onto something, according to a new Australian study.
Research from Griffith University has revealed what many have long feared - magpies pick on particular people.
The discovery was made during a study in which a group of students wore masks near nesting areas, and swapped them day to day. The attacking magpies continued to fixate on particular masks, regardless of who was underneath it.
The study conducted by behavioural ecologist Associate Professor Darryl Jones found magpies targeted certain individuals with precision, and let others waltz by unharmed.
"It's absolutely clear, magpies really do distinguish between people and they know individuals," Associate Professor Jones said.
"They can recognise people and only those people are the people getting attacked."
"Only around 10 per cent of magpies attack, and of that about half of them target pedestrians. The remaining half go for either cyclists or posties and there's a very, very small group of magpies that just attack everybody," said Dr Jones.
The research team tried to outsmart the magpies with clever disguises, but the birds had them bested.
"We got [study participants] to dress in completely different ways - they still recognised the individual," Associate Professor Jones said.
"They're really smart."
The research could not ascertain what it was about the marked men and women that made them susceptible to the aerial attacks.
The sole reason magpies attack is to protect their young, discounting earlier theories that the onslaught is the result of defense of their territory.
"People think that come spring all magpies will attack you, but it's only when chicks are in the nest and only when you're near the nest," Dr Jones said.
All we can do is face the sky beasts head-on.
"Facing the magpie is a good idea … if you're watching them they will not attack you. They always try and do it by stealth, from behind," Associate Professor Jones said.
"It allows you to see where the magpie is and you can get away safely," he said.
- with 3AW
