Sunrise’s Matt Shirvington is known for his adventurous personality — and he needed every bit of it this week.
On Wednesday, the breakfast show host was seen putting his body on the line yet again, riding through Miller’s Reserve in Manly Vale on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, while filming a segment about how to protect yourself from swooping magpies.
Nesting season usually goes from August to October each year, with the birds swooping in order to protect their eggs or newly-hatched chicks from potential threats.
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On the show, the Olympian opted to road test four tricks against the dreaded black and white birds —cable ties on a helmet, a bucket with eyes on it, a toy magpie, and a speaker playing magpie noises.
First up, Shirvo rode through the park with cable ties on his helmet, which didn’t work too well.
Narrating his experience, a nervous Shirvo said: “The things that we do. My god. This is actually scary … don’t do it (swoop) again, please? It’s coming for me. No, no! Ah! Go away.
“OK, the cable ties (on a helmet), I’m not sure that works that well. One thing I do know is I’m not being paid enough to do this,” Shirvo said.
Next up, the host tried a popcorn bucket with eyes drawn on it.
“Next, we are staring down our opponent with a bucket hat with eyes on it and keeping eye contact, what we have been told, this actually deters the magpie,” Shirvo said.
Unfortunately, Shirvo found out the hard way, it didn’t work.
The magpie ended-up coming hard and fast at him, with the TV host having to duck for cover with the makeshift hat on.
Shirvo also used a stuffed magpie, which failed to deter the territorial bird.
Finally, Shirvo used his own trick of using a handheld speaker, playing magpie noises, as he rode through the park.
Surprisingly, it worked. He managed to ride around the park without being swooped.
“So cable ties, swoop! Eyes in the back of your head, swoop! Bird toys, swoop! What about this speaker with a magpie noise? I didn’t get swooped at all,” Shirvo said.
The host then shared his unique ability to make bird noises in the studio, impressing co-host Nat Barr.
According to the NSW government, the best way to avoid being swooped is to avoid the area, be aware that magpies usually swoop from behind, keep calm, and don’t disturb nesting birds.