The cobra and the eagle face an intense battle between dinner and survival – the bird will go hungry.

Student Rohan S Shandilya, 23, was visiting grassland on the outskirts of Bangalore, Karnataka, India when he snapped the fight.

Pictures show the short-toed snake eagle getting ready to swoop down on the highly venomous Indian cobra snake. The bird m akes itself known to the cobra in the process, which rears up to defend itself and scares its hunter off.

Rohan said: ‘This is a very unique and rare event and it is not something I get to witness everyday. The cobra is a very strong contender and is not easy to take down.

‘This eagle made an effort to try and take down this cobra but the might and aggressive stance of the cobra proved too strong for the eagle and the eagle gave up.’