Gisela Kaplan
In this article, Gisela Kaplan discusses the relationship between humans and magpies, a type of black and white bird.
Can one form a friendship with a magpie — even when adult males are protecting their nests during the swooping season? The short answer is: “Yes, one can.”
Ravens and magpies are known to form powerful allegiances among themselves. In fact, Australia is thought to be a hotspot for cooperative behavior in birds worldwide. They like to stick together with family and mates.
Of course, many bird species may readily become tame enough to take food from our hand, but this isn’t really “friendship.” However, there is evidence that, remarkably, free-living magpies can forge lasting relationships with people, even without depending on us for food or shelter.
When magpies are permanently settled on human property, they are also far less likely to swoop the people who live there. Over 80% of all successfully breeding magpies live near human houses, which means the vast majority of people never get swooped. Also, since magpies can live between 25 and 30 years and are territorial, they can develop lifelong friendships with humans. This bond can extend to trusting certain people around their offspring.
A key reason why friendships with magpies are possible is that we now know that magpies are able to recognize and remember individual human faces for many years. They will remember someone who was good to them; equally, they remember negative encounters.
Why become friends?
Magpies that actively form friendships with people make this investment (from their point of view) for good reason. Properties suitable for magpies are hard to come by and the competition is fierce. Most magpies will not secure a territory — let alone breed — until they are at least five years old. In fact, only about 14% of adult magpies ever succeed in breeding.
The difference between simply not swooping someone and a real friendship manifests in several ways. When magpies have formed an attachment, they will often show their trust, for example, by formally introducing their offspring. They may allow their chicks to play near people, not fly away when a resident human is approaching, and actually approach or roost near a human.
In rare cases, they may even join in human activity. On one extraordinary occasion, an adult female magpie gingerly entered my house on foot, and hopped over to my desk where I was sitting. She watched me type on the keyboard and even looked at the screen. I had to get up to take a phone call and when I returned, the magpie had taken up a position at my keyboard, pecked the keys gently, and then looked at the “results” on the screen.
The bird was curious about everything I did. She also wanted to play with me and found my shoelaces particularly attractive, pulling them and then running away a little only to return for another go.
Importantly, it was the bird that had begun to take the initiative and had chosen to socially interact and such behavior, as research has shown particularly in primates, is part of the basis of social bonds and friendships.
Risky business
If magpies can be so good with humans, how can one explain their swooping at people? It’s worth bearing in mind that swooping magpies do not act in aggression or anger but as nest defenders. The strategy they choose is based on risk assessment.
A risk is posed by someone who is unknown and was not present at the time of nest building, which unfortunately is often the case in public places and parks. That person is then classified as a territorial intruder and thus a potential risk to their family. At this point the male guarding the nest performs a warning swoop, literally asking a person to step away from the nest area.
If warnings are ignored, the adult male may try to conduct a near-contact swoop aimed at the head. Magpie swooping is generally a defensive action taken when someone unknown approaches who the magpie believes intends harm. It is not an arbitrary attack.
When I was swooped for the first time in a public place, I slowly walked over to the other side of the road. Importantly, I allowed the male to study my face and appearance from a safe distance, so he could remember me in the future. This is a useful strategy since we now know that magpies remember human faces.
A sure way of escalating conflict is to fence them with a device like an umbrella or to run away at high speed. This approach may well confirm for the magpie that the person concerned is dangerous and needs to be fought with every available strategy.
In dealing with magpies, de-escalating a perceived conflict is usually the best strategy.
Question 28
Paragraphs 8-9 contribute to the development of ideas in the article by —
A. supporting the idea that magpies are nonviolent birds.
B. describing a situation in which a magpie was friendly toward a person.
C. providing instructions for how a person can obtain a magpie's trust.
11 answers
The correct answer is:
A. supporting the idea that magpies are nonviolent birds.
Paragraphs 8-9 explain that magpies swoop as a defensive behavior rather than out of aggression, emphasizing that their actions are based on risk assessment and are a natural part of their protective strategy for their nests. This supports the notion that magpies are not violent but rather exhibit a defensive behavior.
The meaning of "arbitrary" in paragraph 13 is:
D. random.
In this context, "arbitrary attack" indicates that the attack is not based on a specific reason or intent but rather seems to occur at random, without consideration of the individual involved.
The quotation that best explains why magpies are protective of their nests is:
C. "Magpie swooping is generally a defensive action taken when someone unknown approaches who the magpie believes intends harm." (Paragraph 13)
This statement directly addresses the reason for their protective behavior, highlighting that swooping is a defensive strategy against perceived threats to their nests.
The correct answer is:
B. her observations of magpies.
The author illustrates her point of view by sharing her personal experiences and observations of magpies, including their behavior and interactions with humans, which supports her arguments about the possibility of forming friendships with these birds.
The quotation that best shows how a person should respond to a swooping magpie is:
C. "I allowed the male to study my face and appearance from a safe distance" (Paragraph 14)
This statement indicates a strategy for de-escalating the situation by allowing the magpie to become familiar with the person's presence, which can help reduce the likelihood of future swooping.
The correct answer is:
A. explaining the motivations behind magpies' behaviors.
The author develops the central ideas of the article by exploring and clarifying the reasons for magpies' actions, including their protective nature towards their nests and their ability to form friendships with humans, thereby providing insight into their behavior.
7 answers
11 answers
1 answer
7 answers