Australia Post halts deliveries—wild reason will have you nodding!

Dealing with local wildlife is a part of everyday life, particularly in certain areas. Even delivery workers can face unexpected encounters with nature, occasionally leading to delays that take everyone by surprise.

These moments serve as a reminder that sharing spaces with wildlife comes with its own challenges, often requiring patience and adaptability.


Recently, an Australia Post delivery excuse went viral for its honesty and uniquely Australian flavour.

Instead of the all-too-common 'Sorry I missed you' card, one postman left a note that has everyone nodding in agreement:

'Sorry, I couldn't get to the door. The curlews were losing their s***.'


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A parcel was undelivered due to aggressive curlews, as an Australia Post worker noted in a humorous message. Credit: Reddit


The recipient of the note took to social media to share the amusing incident, explaining that the 'curlews in question' were a pair of bush stone curlews nesting in their yard.

Known for their protective nature, especially when they have chicks, these birds can be pretty intimidating.

The poster added a fun fact for the uninitiated: the call of the bush stone-curlew can sound eerily like a woman screaming.


Australians across the country chimed in with their support for the postman's decision to avoid a confrontation with the agitated birds.

One commenter praised the postie for not resorting to a 'b******* excuse for laziness,' while another celebrated the 'reasonable' explanation.

A third humorously suggested that Australia Post might have a new policy: 'Will attempt delivery unless your birds think they're in a Hitchcock film.'

The consensus seems to be that while curlews are generally placid, they can become quite formidable when defending their young, making magpies seem friendly by comparison.

Another commenter pointed out that bush stone curlews can be 'scary AF' if you're not aware that they're unlikely to attack unless their eggs or chicks are directly threatened.

Adding to the curlews' impressive resume, a Queenslander noted that these birds are fascinating to observe and serve as natural pest controllers, adept at taking down snakes and toads.


They recounted witnessing a flock of curlews dispatching a coastal taipan on a golf course in Far North Queensland.

This incident highlights the sometimes unpredictable nature of parcel delivery in Australia, where wildlife encounters can be as much a part of the job as navigating traffic and weather.

It's a reminder that our postal workers often go above and beyond in their duties, sometimes facing uniquely Australian challenges.

So, next time you find a 'delivery attempted' note in your mailbox, spare a thought for the delivery person who might have just had a close encounter with the bird kind.

In other news, an Australia Post customer captured a postie skipping an express parcel delivery on video.

In Auchenflower, Brisbane, the driver snapped a photo of the letterbox instead of delivering the package. You can read more about it here.
Key Takeaways

  • An Australia Post delivery person left a humorous and honest note explaining why a parcel wasn't delivered, citing aggressive curlews as the reason.
  • The recipient of the note shared it on Reddit, amusing many Australians who found the excuse understandable given the nature of the birds.
  • Bush stone curlews, known for their intimidating behaviour and chilling call, were causing the disturbance that prevented the parcel delivery.
  • Social media users reacted positively to the postman's candidness, with some sharing their own experiences of the birds' defensive behaviours.
Have you ever had a delivery delayed due to unexpected wildlife encounters in your area? What’s your most unusual or amusing experience with Australia’s native animals? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
 

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Me too….it’s terrifying to be in the same area as a bird, of any size……and if one gets in the house as has happened twice, I end up like a curled up block of stone in the smallest place I can find……no idea why though, same with moths….
So I guess you haven’t watched the old black and white movie The birds then. 🦅
 
Magpies can also be aggressive. But they can also be appreciative, We had a baby magpie in our garden, the parents were making a fuss. on investigation we found a baby magpie with its feet entangled in a length of twine. Hubby picked it up and started to free it. The parents sat on fence watching. When freed the baby went to its parents who warbled their thanks and flew off.
 
I totally understand and sympathise with the post worker. I have a debilitating phobia with birds and will do anything to avoid them. Even birds in cages bring on an anxiety attack. Eating outside at cafes can be a nightmare and I usually end up retreating to the car with my food. Everyone who knows me is aware and understands which I’m thankful for.
Oh, Colette I honestly sympathise with you. I am in the same league as you. I am terrified of birds also and outdoor cafes are never the ideal place to take me - alert every second with my legs and feet working all the time to keep them away.
 
So I guess you haven’t watched the old black and white movie The birds then. 🦅
Oh indeed I did….I don’t remember the story line but THAT scene with Tippy Hedrin is still very clear……I used to run a playschool in the then New Territories of Hong Kong…. Was always in early before the staff and helpers arrived….One particular morning when the staff began to arrive they couldn’t find me until eventually they heard a squeaky sound……which was me trying to speak from under a child size table with the chairs knocked over……there was a bat in the roof of the building, I panicked and hid under the child size table, I had tensed up such that I couldn’t move nor speak….once the bat was gone I was able to get up, gave myself a migraine and a stiff back……..the children had started to arrive and thought ‘Teacher’ hiding under a table was hilarious as did the mums and my loyal staff……and I never lived it down while I was there….:LOL:
 
Oh indeed I did….I don’t remember the story line but THAT scene with Tippy Hedrin is still very clear……I used to run a playschool in the then New Territories of Hong Kong…. Was always in early before the staff and helpers arrived….One particular morning when the staff began to arrive they couldn’t find me until eventually they heard a squeaky sound……which was me trying to speak from under a child size table with the chairs knocked over……there was a bat in the roof of the building, I panicked and hid under the child size table, I had tensed up such that I couldn’t move nor speak….once the bat was gone I was able to get up, gave myself a migraine and a stiff back……..the children had started to arrive and thought ‘Teacher’ hiding under a table was hilarious as did the mums and my loyal staff……and I never lived it down while I was there….:LOL:
🤣🤣🤣1741568609815.png
 
Me too….it’s terrifying to be in the same area as a bird, of any size……and if one gets in the house as has happened twice, I end up like a curled up block of stone in the smallest place I can find……no idea why though, same with moths….
Thank goodness I'm not the only crazy one. I have a phobia about anything that flaps.

Moths, birds, chooks and also feathers.
Love to go fishing, but I can't take the fish off the line, they flap.

When I was a kid my Nan had a hat made of feathers. I wouldn't go near her if she wore it. She also had one of those dead fox things that they used to wear around their neck.
That didn't worry me but I used to tell my brother stories about the big bad wolf and chase him with it. What a nasty big sister I was.
My mum gave him nan's feather hat to chase me with and that fixed the situation pronto. No more teasing little brother.
 
Yeah Magpies if they hit your head it just about knock you out
Have never had a problem with Maggie’s ,my mum had a pet it would come into her kitchen waiting to be fed eventually she had it talking . I always feed them fresh mince from the butchers ,he doesn’t put preservatives in like others do ,parents bring their babies back every year, The ones I’m wary of are plovers they are nasty, and are now coming into our neighbourhood, Council said they are protected , like the dump birds.
 
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Thank goodness I'm not the only crazy one. I have a phobia about anything that flaps.

Moths, birds, chooks and also feathers.
Love to go fishing, but I can't take the fish off the line, they flap.

When I was a kid my Nan had a hat made of feathers. I wouldn't go near her if she wore it. She also had one of those dead fox things that they used to wear around their neck.
That didn't worry me but I used to tell my brother stories about the big bad wolf and chase him with it. What a nasty big sister I was.
My mum gave him nan's feather hat to chase me with and that fixed the situation pronto. No more teasing little brother.
You must have been a naughty kid haha .i was just as bad chasing nasty 🤢 little sister with grasshoppers , she always got my older sister and me in trouble ,and is still a nasty 😷 B to this day.
 
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GReal story & perfectly justified. If you haven't had an encounter with a protective curlew you are lucky. They can be extremely aggressive
We had people in the next block who had them as pets ,the bloody things would call out in the middle of the night keeping us awake. They have an awful sound.
 
Thank goodness I'm not the only crazy one. I have a phobia about anything that flaps.

Moths, birds, chooks and also feathers.
Love to go fishing, but I can't take the fish off the line, they flap.

When I was a kid my Nan had a hat made of feathers. I wouldn't go near her if she wore it. She also had one of those dead fox things that they used to wear around their neck.
That didn't worry me but I used to tell my brother stories about the big bad wolf and chase him with it. What a nasty big sister I was.
My mum gave him nan's feather hat to chase me with and that fixed the situation pronto. No more teasing little brother.
The first time we lived in Hong Kong was in what was the New Territories, very near the Chinese border and with plenty of vegetation around. We lived in a ground floor apartment with a veranda, kids were 8 and 10….one day the veranda door had been left open to catch some breeze….it also let a bat in the house…….I was gone so quick, hubby and the kids didn’t know what happened….Locked myself in the bedroom and held on to the door with a strength I didn’t know I had….the kids ran out the house and David was left in the house to battle the dive bombing bat by himself, with a towel, shouting and waving and swearing at the damn thing….he did catch it in the end though, after a good half an hour…….Also that same time we were riding out a Typhoon, I think it was typhoon Ellen…..anyway it was me and the kids at the time….we went to look out one of the windows as Ellen started to ease and we saw the funniest thing….there was a chicken farm near us and one of the chickens was outside the window, in the air, wings flapping like mad, but going absolutely nowhere flying against the wind, poor thing….it did lighten up a scary situation though….
 
I have a friend like that, she won't even touch chicken!
She used to get someone to clean and cook it for her family!
You'll be surprised how many weird phobias people have... I find it very interesting.
Hang in there - you're more normal than you think! ❤️
When first married & for a number of years after, I too wouldn’t touch chicken necks & wings. That phobia has long since gone but my fear of birds still stays with me after more than 60 years. I also don’t like chewing through the fatty parts on lamb chops and hate getting chicken gristle in my mouth from a shop-prepared meal.
 
Thank goodness I'm not the only crazy one. I have a phobia about anything that flaps.

Moths, birds, chooks and also feathers.
Love to go fishing, but I can't take the fish off the line, they flap.

When I was a kid my Nan had a hat made of feathers. I wouldn't go near her if she wore it. She also had one of those dead fox things that they used to wear around their neck.
That didn't worry me but I used to tell my brother stories about the big bad wolf and chase him with it. What a nasty big sister I was.
My mum gave him nan's feather hat to chase me with and that fixed the situation pronto. No more teasing little brother.
I have a very close friend who is absolutely petrified of birds, she won't even touch a dead chook!
 
I have a very close friend who is absolutely petrified of birds, she won't even touch a dead chook!
I don't blame her.
Many years ago my ex's family used to kill their own chooks. They had one hanging upside down on the clothes line (why???). I didn't notice it and spun the line around and got hit by this dead chook. I swear they probably heard me screaming in the next state.
 
I don't blame her.
Many years ago my ex's family used to kill their own chooks. They had one hanging upside down on the clothes line (why???). I didn't notice it and spun the line around and got hit by this dead chook. I swear they probably heard me screaming in the next state.
They were hung on clothes line to drain the blood, my dad would have us hold their beak and pull their head back to chop it off , I would disappear when this was going to happen.
 
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