Plenty of animals in this world have absolutely baffling names — the tawny frogmouth, which is not actually a frog, comes to mind. Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the spectrum, there are critters whose names describe them to a T. Meet the skimmer, a bird who does exactly what you’d expect! These fascinating avians catch fish by skimming the water with their beaks.
Videos by InspireMore
If you want to see what this unique hunting technique looks like in action, photographer Mark Smith caught some amazing footage of the process. In his video, a majestic black skimmer flew just inches above the water, dragging their open beak across the surface. Suddenly, the creature submerged their head and came back up with a fish in their mouth. It looks like this hunting trip was a complete success!
In his social media caption, Mark had a hilarious take on the way skimmers scoop food out of the water mid-flight.
“It’s their version of the fast food drive-thru,” he joked.
According to All About Birds, the skimmer’s hunting method allows this animal to rely on their sense of touch. As soon as a fish brushes against their beak, they snatch it up! Since sight doesn’t play a huge role in the operation, skimmers can search for food in the dark. Isn’t that neat?
Mark Smith posts a variety of stunning wildlife videos on social media, but our feathered friends definitely seem to be a favorite with the photographer. He’s captured some truly magical footage of different birds soaring through the air and hunting for prey — including more clips of our old pal, the skimmer!
Videos like these remind us just how lucky we are to share the planet with so many amazing animals!
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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