Biker Calmly Tallies Notorious Magpie's Swoops at His Helmet

A man filmed his encounter with a notorious magpie who swooped his helmet as he was riding through Coonabarabran, NSW, on September 17.Joel Hatch said this particular magpie was known to haunt the same stretch of road during swooping season and so he decided to film his next encounter. He remained calm through the entire ordeal, even after the bird grazed his ear. Other riders have been less in control.
“This magpie is notorious in the community,” Hatch said. “Never swoops me while walking past, but when riding a bike past he is relentless.”
“I think helmets in Australia are more for protection from birds than for accidents.” Credit: Instagram/Joel Hatch via Storyful