Magpies have begun swooping to protect their young, while ducks are out and about seeking the nearest waterway for their ducklings.

Residents can alert others to swooping magpies in their area using a Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning map.

Read more: Bendigo residents told to be ready for magpie season

Wildlife Rescue and Information Network committee member Michelle Mead urged people to take care of birds.

Ms Mead said rescuers were often called out to baby birds on the ground. She said this was sometimes normal - some species learn to fly from the ground - but it was always worth calling WRIN to take a look.

Ms Mead asked anyone near a waterway to take care when driving and to keep their dogs under control, to protect ducklings.

The best way to protect yourself from swooping magpies was to avoid the area and warn others, for instance, with signs, Ms Mead said.

She said the bird was just using whatever defenses it could to protect its babies.

Ms Mead said birdlife was more noticeable in spring, as breeding season began and the weather meant people were out more.

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"We're all trying to live together, and we just want to make sure we can share our spaces," she said.

"We all love to hear birds, we all love to observe birds, just learning to share our spaces and make sure our wildlife are looked after."

For wildlife rescue, contact WRIN on 0419 356 433.

Find information about the location of swooping magpies on the DELWP website.

To avoid swooping magpies, DELWP recommends:

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