British children are taught to salute Mr Magpie; Australians are taught to fear him. During their annual turf war each spring, magpie ambushes can draw blood and cause serious injuries and even the occasional death, according to a recent report. The animal behaviourist Gisela Kaplan tells the BBC magpies may interpret attempts to swat them away as a sign of aggression. They “will then always swoop that person from then on, every year”. Magpies have also been known to pre-emptively target cyclists and children because they don’t trust them. Professor Kaplan suggests using a peace offering like a slice of bread or meat. “You can make friends with magpies,” she says. “They tend to be very diplomatic.”