This is the moment a Eurasian curlew frightens a hare as it wanders too close to its nest.

James Wellock, 49, caught the video on a wildlife camera which is placed in one of his fields.

The footage shows the hare standing just inches away from the endangered bird before it spooks the mammal by poking its beak into its belly causing it to jump a metre into the air.

The curlew then gives off a mighty squeal warning the hare not to return.

The farmer said he came across the footage after collecting the SD card when he was passing by as he went to round up his cows for milking.

He said at the time the curlew was off its nest.

James, of Skipton, near Leeds, North Yorks, said: "It's like the bird told the hare to 'do one'."

"Though it is lucky I caught the video."

"The camera takes 320 captures and I select 5 at random and then delete the rest."

"It was by complete chance that I selected that clip."

Curlews are one of Britain's most endangered birds with only around 59,000 breeding birds left.

It is believed there has been a 50 per cent population decreased over the last 25 years.

Curlews nest between the months of April and June typically laying four eggs.