This is the moment a playful owlet pounces on his baby brother to give him a friendly kiss on the cheek.
Spotting the perfect moment to surprise his unwitting sibling, the crafty six-week-old creature swooped in, talons outstretched, in the display of affection.
Caught completely unawares, his brother is almost bowled over backwards by the playful ambush.
The heartwarming antics of these two burrowing owls was captured by wildlife photographer Rob Palmer.
The 57-year-old was on the look out for burrowing owl dens when he came across these two, part of a brood of six.
As their name suggests, this species of owl nests underground in burrows that have been abandoned by animals like prairie dogs and badgers.
Mr Palmer, from Littleton, Colorado, USA, said: 'I spend a lot of time looking for burrowing owl dens, which are fairly common where ever you can find a prairie dog colony
'There were six owlets in this brood and they would play in the early morning.
'I managed to get about 30 feet from them to take the pictures and, after a while, they had no problem with me being there. They were very tolerant of my presence.
'These two are just having fun so neither got hurt.'
The burrowing owl grows to around 10 inches in length and has a wingspan of 21 inches.
The small, long-legged species is found is usually found in the dry, open areas of North and South America.
Unlike their nocturnal relatives, these owls tend to be at their most active during day-light hours.
They hunt for food from dusk to dawn, their diet consists mainly of insects and small rodents.
They are preyed on by badgers, coyotes and snakes as well as cats and dogs.
The burrowing owl lives for around nine years in the wild but can survive for more than ten in captivity.
Dropping in: The playful bird perched on his brother's head as wildlife photographer Rob Palmer took the amazing shots in the Colorado desert
He's behind you: In another frame the cheeky burrowing owl creeps up behind his sibling
Brotherly love: But in a tender moment that seems almost human, the owlet appears to nuzzle up to his sibling
Very cute pics.
