As Ballarat residents venture outside for their lockdown exercise more as the weather warms up over the next two days, it serves as a reminder to be cautious of the city's magpie hotspots.
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According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the mercury is expected to hit 19 degrees in Ballarat on Wednesday before a top of 22 on Thursday, the city's warmest high since April.
However, the sun starting to come out also marks the start of breeding season for many birds, including magpies.
During breeding season, some birds are known to swoop people or pets as they make their way through parks, gardens and tree-lined streets in order to protect their offspring.
While usually swooping attacks will only give most people a fright, they can sometimes cause injuries or even worse.
A five-month-old child recently died from head injuries in Brisbane after her mother tripped and fell while trying to escape from a swooping magpie.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The child's death sparked an extraordinary outpouring of support for her grieving parents with a GoFundMe appeal raising more than $140,000.
Ballarat's magpie swooping hotspots are already being recorded at magpiealert.com and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning's swooping birds website.
Report the swooping hotspots in your area below:
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