This is the dramatic moment a pair of male rattlesnakes were seen locked in combat to win the affections of a female serpent waiting nearby.

Footage shows the two vipers entwined as they engage in a dominance battle, competing to attract a partner ahead of mating season.

The confrontation took place on a dirt road in a hilly area with bushes and a forested hillside under a clear blue sky at Reyes Peak, California, on August 18.

Los Padres National Forest issued a safety alert, advising visitors to give the predators plenty of space while hiking or driving near the area.

A rattlesnake is a venomous snake known for the distinctive rattle at the end of its tail, which it shakes to produce a warning sound when threatened. They belong to the pit viper family and are native mainly to the Americas.

Rattlesnakes are typically found in dry, rocky, or grassy habitats and use their venom to immobilise prey such as small mammals, birds, and reptiles.