ORO VALLEY, Ariz. — A camera stationed on a property in southern Arizona captured two desert critters in vicious combat.
In the rare encounter caught on camera, a protective quail is seen attempting to fight off snakes trying to snatch one of the bird eggs nestling underneath some debris.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Una codorniz fue captada defendiendo sus huevos de unas furiosas serpientes
The quail puffs out its feathers and spreads its wings in an attempt to intimidate the snakes. But the slithery serpents are not easily scared off and continuously snipe at the bird.
The snakes frantically coil up repeatedly as the quail jumps and pounces on the cold-blooded reptiles.
One snake appears to be a non-venomous Sonoran gopher snake and the other is a black and yellow snake. Quail and their eggs are often the target of desert snakes looking for a quick meal.
Gambel quails will usually lay about 10 eggs at a time and build their nest close to the ground in an area lined with grass and leaves, according to the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum.
Some quail have been known to camouflage their eggs by placing them in areas where the shell's colors can easily blend in with the landscape. The eggs in the videos were apparently too conspicuous to not catch the attention of some hungry snakes.
Tressa Nolen-Sawyer recently posted the videos on social media last week and said the snake encounters occurred over the course of a couple of days. Nolen-Sawyer's TikTok account includes several pictures and videos of desert wildlife encounters in the Oro Valley and Tucson areas.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
UP TO SPEED
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.
