In reality, a fiercely protective falcon father was guarding his nest against a possibly predatory pelican.

In one image, the falcon can be seen burying its talons into the back of the larger bird in an attempt to protect its young.

Photographer Phoo Chan captured action shot footage at Torrey Pines Beach in San Diego, California.

The peregrine falcon is the world’s fastest raptor, reaching speeds of nearly 200 mph (321.87 kilometers per hour) while diving for food.

Phoo was about 100ft (0.03 km) away and barely had a second to record the stunning clip using a Sony A1 camera and Sony FE 600 mm lens.

The brown pelican, surprised and frightened, flew away with just very damaged feathers.

The variations between these two birds are enormous. Despite its size, the pelican is a slow-flying seabird.

It frequently feeds on the eggs and chicks of other birds, posing a serious threat to hawk chicks.

With a wingspan of 6 to 7 feet (2.13 meters), it can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour (ca. 48 kilometers per hour).

The protective pilgrim father seemed to be riding on the back of the shocked pelican at one point!

A small swarm of brown pelicans got too close to the hawk’s nest.

Seconds later, the male lunged and lunged at a helpless pelican, pushing it and sending it staggering in an attempt to escape.

“It is essential to understand and appreciate nature so that everyone can have the same enthusiasm for a long time.”