Weasel 'Riding' A Woodpecker Viral Photo, Real Or Fake?

The weasel riding a woodpecker photo has swept the Internet. Chances are, you've seen the image somewhere and immediately thought it was fake, but it might be real. The image could be easily faked on Photoshop, Lightroom or your preferred image manipulation software, but there is scientific evidence of weasels attacking and killing birds.

ITV News has an interview with Martin Le-May, the photographer from Essex, England. Le-May said he was out at Hornchurch Country Park with his wife when he heard signs of distress. "Lots of wing flapping showing that gloriously yellow/white color interspersed with the flash of red head feathers. Just after I switched from my binoculars to my camera, the bird flew across us and slightly in our direction. Suddenly it was obvious it had a small mammal on its back, and this was a struggle for life," Le-May said. It appears as though the presence of Le-May and his wife was enough of a distraction, and the green woodpecker escaped its fight with the weasel.

Some of the main questions about the viral photo include the size of the weasel, its behavior and whether the green woodpecker could carry that much weight. Over at iO9, they explore the scientific evidence behind weasel predation of birds. There is plenty of proof of weasels attacking and eating birds, including woodpeckers. In the comments, there are anecdotes of weasels attacking eagles and larger birds. Nicholas Lund, from the Birdist, writes on Slate he believes the photo is real. The U.K.'s Daily Mail has a few photos showing the aftermath of the encounter and some technical aspects of how Le-May got the shot. Le-May said he used a Canon 70D with a 300mm lens with a f-stop of 2.8. The camera and lens are quite capable of capturing fast-moving objects and framing it much like what is seen in the weasel photo.

So for now, many people think the photo is real. It's still early and it wouldn't be the first time a viral photo turned out to be a fake.