Discovering that the pheasants want to fight for food, the red squirrels rush to attack first, but then have to step back and give up.
Amateur photographer Louise Philips recorded a fight between red squirrels and pheasants at a wildlife observatory in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Unilad reports on October 15. She rented an observation point for a day because she wanted to observe the red squirrels and sprinkle some seeds for them to eat. However, pheasants also came to eat the seeds of birds that had been scattered before. A fight happens when they want to compete for good food.
“The red squirrel is uncomfortable with the appearance of the pheasant. It attacks first then the pheasant jumps up and uses its claws to counterattack. The fight lasts only a few seconds, then the red squirrel backs up. I think he takes it. It’s too much, ”said Philips.
Philips takes the camera with them and quickly captures the awe-inspiring moments of brief battles. “I couldn’t believe what I saw. I was very surprised,” she said.
The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is widely distributed in Europe and Asia. They usually eat nuts, mushrooms, berries and young shoots. They are classified as “near threatened” in parts of the UK. The decline in red squirrel numbers is mainly due to the invasive alien species, the American gray squirrel. Gray squirrels compete for food and are carriers of the Parapox virus, causing red squirrels to become infected. In addition, red squirrels also reproduce less due to stress.
