Aussie cyclist's extreme attempt to avoid swooping magpies

It's that time of year where spring is blooming, magpies are swooping and one Canberra cyclist is fighting back with flair.

Steph Skinner is turning heads and dodging angry birds with a helmet designed to outsmart the swift swoopers.

Steph took to social media to document her "independent testing" on which strategies actually work - with some hilarious outcomes.

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"It was pretty effective on the first magpie I tested on," Steph told Today about her 'seagull' helmet (pictured above).

"But this second guy that I've been testing on, he is savage - he goes for the ears."

Steph said it was hilarious to see how badly her seagull helmet didn't actually work on the lagpies - who are the "clear rulers of Australian skies".

"I mean, seagulls are just no match for them - it's that simple," she said.

Steph has tried a variety of different approaches to protecting her head from swooping magpies during her long bike rides.

But she revealed a surprise technique which was actually very effective.

"One of the bits of advice I got was actually a giant wig and this has been very effective," she said.

"It's just about the only thing that's worked on the really savage magpies."

Steph recommends wearing sunglasses and a hat to protect your head and face from the nasty magpies.

But there is also an online site called Magpie Alert, which advises where the nesting hotspots are which you might want to avoid.

Do you have your own method of avoiding magpie attacks? Let us know