Australia is being plagued by vicious and vindictive swooping magpies, and people say they are terrified

• It's nesting season in Australia and people are on high alert for vicious swooping Australian magpies.
• The much-loved songbird is loathed for its tendancy to divebomb cyclists, pedestrians, and children.
• The clever birds are also vindictive and will target anyone they feel slighted by, even years later.

It's springtime in Australia, which means the return of vicious swooping attacks from the Australian magpie.

The melodious songbirds, which are much-loved the rest of the year, are loathed around nesting season, when they go on the offense, divebombing anyone they feel poses a threat to their young.