PEREGRINE FALCON DECLARES WAR ON RED FOX NEAR CLIFFSIDE NEST<br /> <br />WITH PIX AND VID <br /> <br />By Shuk Yee Tsang <br /> <br />A photographer captured the astonishing moment a peregrine falcon launched a series of high-speed attacks on two young red foxes after they strayed into her nesting territory.<br />The rare footage was filmed by wildlife photographer Jack Zhi from California, USA, shot the moment in a known peregrine falcon nesting site in Los Angeles, USA where a pair of falcons were raising three chicks on a high cliff face.<br /> Nearby, just 800 metres away, a family of red foxes had set up a den and were raising six cubs.<br />On one afternoon, two curious young foxes wandered into the falcons’ line of sight. That’s when the female falcon sounded her alarm and then took flight with deadly intent.<br />The intense video shows the falcon mother swooping down from her nest with precision, first targeting a fox exploring the beach below, then locking in on the second fox hiding in grass atop the cliff.<br />Zhi says he’s witnessed territorial behaviour from the falcons before, but nothing this sustained or aggressive.<br />While the foxes were larger, they were no match for the falcon’s lightning-fast dive attacks with one final strike possibly injuring one of the cubs near its eye.<br />Despite the drama, the fox was later seen walking away, and hasn’t returned to the nesting area since.<br />Jack said “The falcon mom spotted the foxes and immediately sounded the alarm. <br />“But the foxes didn’t seem to understand the danger.<br />“She launched attack after attack with laser precision. I couldn’t even capture them all on camera, she was that fast.<br />“It was hard to see that final strike. It looked like the fox got poked in the eye. I love these red foxes, so it was tough to watch.<br />“But I was also in awe of the falcon’s fierce maternal instinct. She was defending her chicks and the foxes never stood a chance.<br />“They learned their lesson. I haven’t seen them anywhere near the nest since.”<br />END
