Nothing gets between a prairie dog and his lunch as this one shows when fending off a gang of starlings. The bird-brained bullies pounced on their victim at St Louis Zoo, Missouri, U.S. as it was about to tuck into a nutty treat. The hungry squirrel-like rodent gripped hold of its food despite the cheeky birds trying to peck it out of his paws and nipping at its body.

Cheeky birds! A hungry chipmunk stands firm against a gang of yobbish starlings trying to steal his lunch in St Louis Zoo, Missouri

Go get your own food! Things get intense and look dangerous as the birds try to peck the food right out the chipmunk’s grip

The situation gets worse for the prairie dog when the commotion attracts the attention of other birds who swoop to join the melee. But they were too late and missed out on the food. There are five different species of prairie dog, a type of ground squirrel native to North America. They eat all sorts of vegetables, fruits – and, of course, nuts. Prairie dogs are named for their habitat, the North American prairies, and their warning call, which sounds like a dog barking.

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