New Footage Shows Fish Burst Out of Water, Catch Bird in Mid-Flight

A video posted to YouTube this week captures a fish bursting out of the water and catching a bird in mid-flight.

The footage, posted by a nature website, reportedly was taken at an African lake where things appeared "calm and peaceful."

"A few migrant swallows flit near the surface," the video's YouTube description said. "Suddenly, leaping from the water, a fish grabs one of the famously speedy birds straight out of the air! This swallow-swallowing behaviour, long talked about anecdotally, has now been documented by scientists for the first time."

One of the large predators of the river, a Tiger fish (this one is Hydrocynus vittatus), shares the river with its relative, the Giant Tiger fish (Hydrocynus goliath). The Tiger fish can reach up to a meter in length, while the goliath can reach nearly a meter and a half and weigh nearly twice as much. (Image source: National Science Foundation)

Rumors of the African Tigerfish jumping out of the water to catch prey have reportedly been rumored for decades, but never captured on film.

Since posting the footage, the video has received over 70,000 views on YouTube.

Watch the incredible footage:

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