‘Magpie attack’ in downtown Gwacheon⋯Residents appeal “Jeongsuri attack”

I also looked outside yesterday because the magpies were crying so loudly.

He was crying on the outdoor air conditioner unit by the window in my room.

You have to be careful because they sometimes attack people 😅

Attacking people to protect their young

My ears and scalp are pricked and bleeding

City “Considering Installation of Guide Signs”

A post was posted on an apartment community bulletin board saying that Gwacheon residents were attacked by magpies.

Community bulletin board capture

“The damage to residents caused by the sudden attack of magpies in the middle of the city is not small.”

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of residents in Gwacheon complaining of being attacked by magpies, so caution is advised.

On the 26th, a post was uploaded to a community in Gwacheon City saying that magpies frequently pecked the heads of residents passing by their apartments, and dozens of comments were posted on the post.

A resident of Apartment A in Gwacheon posted on the community, “Magpies in the apartment are attacking people. A while ago, a magpie pecked my right ear and it bled. A child next to me was so shocked that he cried for a long time.”

He continued, “When I asked the management office about the magpies, they said that other residents had their water pipes attacked,” adding, “If we leave things like this alone, the damage to residents will only increase.”

Other residents commented, “My husband and I were attacked on the top of our heads by magpies, and my parents who came to visit our house were also attacked by magpies,” and “It seems that appropriate measures are needed to prevent children from getting hurt.”

As the breeding season of May and June approaches, cases of damage caused by magpies and crows, which have become more aggressive, are being reported all over the country. Last month, there was controversy when crows attacked a person in the middle of Gangnam, Seoul.

A practical way to avoid magpie and crow attacks is to avoid nesting areas as much as possible during the two weeks that the mother bird is raising its chicks.

Kim Seong-man, the president of the Korean Bird Protection Association, said, “The period when chicks leave the nest is called ‘mating,’ and May and June are the migration periods for magpies,” and “It appears that the mother birds that built their nests in the city attacked people to protect their chicks that have difficulty flying.”

He continued, “If you have no choice but to go near a nest, you can reduce damage by walking with your head down.”

City officials said, “We went to the scene after hearing complaints about magpie attacks, but we couldn’t find the nest,” and “If magpie attacks continue, we are considering installing warning signs in the area to be careful.”

Meanwhile, according to the 'Wildlife Protection and Management Act', magpies are currently designated as harmful wild animals by the Ministry of Environment Ordinance, and capture activities can be carried out with the permission of the mayor, county governor, or district head.