Episode 13 - Australian Magpies, with Dr Gráinne Cleary

When you think of "fear", you might think of spiders or snakes. High-up places, cramped places, public speaking or, heck, even Clowns. Maybe giving a talk on a high-up podium at a crowded Clown convention scares you, who knows? For Australians, there is Swoopophobia, which is the term I just made up for getting swooped by the Australian Magpie. As if Australians needed another thing to be afraid of as well as the chance of Tony Abbott eating another raw onion on live television... (that joke is funny if you're from Down Under). Too long has Swoopophobia swept over the entire country of Australia, leaving its residents cowering in fear. But now, with the help of experts like the daring Dr Gráinne Cleary stepping in to tell us WHY these birds swoop, the gentle townsfolk of Oz can emerge from their homes, safe in the knowledge that these Magpies - much like P!nk- are simply misunderstood. Our Charity of the Week this week is the incredible Wildlife Victoria - the native species of Australia's best hope for being rescued and rehabilitated! You can find them at www.wildlifevictoria.org.au.