VIDEO: Magpie swoops into triathlete 13 times on training ride

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In a video that has gone viral over the weekend, an Australian triathlete has a unique encounter with wildlife while out on a training ride. The triathlete, who is out for a ride on his TT bike with what appears to be a GoPro attached to his handlebars, mentions that he’s in prime magpie territory. Just minutes into his ride, a magpie begins to repeatedly swoop down into his helmet from behind.

Magpies, which are commonly found in the Australian countryside, are fairly large birds. They are known to swoop at pedestrians and cyclists frequently, when they mistake humans for predators.

During this year’s race season in North America, we found several great stories of animal encounters during races and training sessions. A deer joined the swim portion of a triathlon in Kansas, while bears made frequent appearances during races along the west coast.