This mallard never saw it coming.
Don't blink or you might miss it.
This mallard got just a little bit separated from the rest of the flock, and suddenly it's all over. Was he shot on the ground?
You'll just have to watch to find out!
Did you catch it the first time? Or did you have to wait for the slow-motion playback?
Believe it or not, this mallard was taken out by a prairie falcon.
This video really captures how lightning fast these birds are! Amazingly, they have even been recorded to take out prey, such as geese, that are up to five times heavier than the falcon itself.
Clocking in at a maximum airspeed around 90 mph, even a canvasback would stand no chance!
These guys can also crossbreed with the world's fastest bird, the peregrine falcon. However, the prairie falcon is typically regarded as less temperamental about its environment.
Growing up in harsh mountainous terrain with competition from larger falcons have made these guys tough in all aspects. That attitude does make them less popular in falconry, though, as they tend to not take orders very well.
Watch closely, and you'll see that this prairie falcon is striking with his feet. We typically think of falcons as hunting by slicing with their talons- delivering a precision slice like an aerial assassin.
However, this is actually not the most common strike employed by the prairie falcon.
Instead, he breaks this ducks neck by striking hard with his foot balled up like a fist. When combined with their incredible speed, they've been known to completely decapitate some prey with this method!
NEXT: VIDEO: WILD BOAR HUNTING AT ITS BEST
WATCH
https://rumble.com/embed/u7gve.v3v4j9/
