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It's swooping season: here are the hotspots you named

Magpie season has swooped into Greater Shepparton, with 18 locations making this year's local hotspot list to date.

Here are the hotspots you named on Facebook:

Several Tatura residents have already reported a particularly "vicious" bird hovering along Hastie St near the netball courts, and down Brown St.

The magpie has mainly been preying on bike riders, however some locals have also been attacked while walking in the area.

Jeanette Moorhouse was riding her bike recently to collect her daughter from the bus stop on Hastie St when she was targeted.

“I fell from my bike while defending myself from the magpie’s third strike,” she said.

“I have bruised my ribs and a knee, I lost some skin and I also lost two diamonds from my eternity ring, which saddened me.

“The magpie then continued to attack me along with another parent waiting for the bus, even though I stayed right under the tree against a tree trunk.”

Mrs Moorhouse said she had seen the "nasty" magpie diving on many others as well.

“I have worked out after watching it from my car yesterday, while waiting for the school bus, that it especially likes to attack adults and children on bicycles and scooters,” she said.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) said other hotspots included the Kialla Golf Club and Nugent St in Shepparton.

City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Seema Abdullah warned people not to harass wildlife, as this could actually increase swooping behaviour.

“And do not destroy nests or feed swooping birds,” she said.

“Magpies are native birds, and council cannot stop them swooping or remove them from certain areas.

“Swooping can occur any time of the year, however it is increased in spring when the birds are protecting their nests.

“We encourage people to be on alert and aware of the areas that magpies reside in, where swooping may occur.

“DELWP have a Magpie Map on its website which can be a good way to identify areas to cover your head or avoid altogether.”

Magpies and other native birds are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975. Under the act, it is an offence to kill, take, control or harm wildlife in Victoria.

Penalties apply to those found in breach.

To report a swooping incident by any species of bird, mark its location on Victoria's swooping bird map at delwp.vic.gov.au/environment-and-wildlife/wildlife/swooping-birds