Caracara hawk attempts to steal a baby penguin from a waddle of penguins

A group of penguins in the Falkland Islands were harassed by a caracara hawk who wanted to steal a young chick from his family, in hopes of having some dinner.

The clip, filmed January 1 on Pebble Island in the West Falklands, shows the hawk stalking the group, waiting for the perfect opportunity to steal eggs or even a chick.

Nature enthusiast Robert Humphries told Newsflare about the encounter: “A striated caracara waited at the rookery edge, then took off and grabbed a Rockhopper Penguin chick in its talons.

“It flew away from the rookery with its prize but dropped it after a couple of metres – the chick appeared to be too heavy for the Caracara. The Caracara was then chased off by adult Rockhoppers, but flew over the rookery again with Shags and Penguins fending it off.”