SYDNEY (DPA) - An elderly man died in a bike accident after trying to escape a swooping magpie south of Sydney, police said on Monday (Sept 16).

The 76-year-old was riding his bicycle when he was swooped by the bird early on Sunday, causing him to veer off the road, police said in a statement, citing witnesses.

"The man then collided with a fence post, causing him to be thrown to the ground, sustaining serious head injuries," the statement said.

The man was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition but later died.

Police in Wollongong, New South Wales' third-largest city, are investigating the incident.

With the start of spring, Australia is now in the midst of its "magpie season". During this time, Australian magpies become particularly aggressive while eggs and young are in the nest, often swooping at humans.