Pelicans steal fish from ospreys in mid-air

Many people believe that the powerful osprey will always win in every fight with the pelican. However, American nature photographer and videographer Mark Smith recorded the scene of brown pelicans performing a bold “raid” and winning over ospreys in Florida, Earth Touch News reported on January 1.

Footage shows the pelican shooting up from the water like a feathered missile, aiming for an osprey clutching a recently caught fish. With its beak wide open, ready for a lightning strike, the pelican grabs the fish while it is still in the predator’s claws.

The attack caused the osprey to be pulled down as well. When about to touch the water, the osprey lets go of its claws, leaving the pelican with the prey it just caught.

In Florida, brown pelicans are famous for their thieving habits. But according to Smith, these feather thieves are not always successful, making his footage special.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) are professional predators with eyesight so sharp it’s almost like nature’s 8K camera. With sharp claws, ospreys hunt by rushing quickly from above into the water, putting their feet out first. When the time is right, they attack, grab their prey and fly to a quiet place to enjoy their meal. Of course, that plan doesn’t always go smoothly when there are pelicans hanging around.

Brown Pelican (Western pelican) weighs about 2 – 5 kg, three times that of an osprey, but does not possess excellent hunting skills. Instead of diving deep or chasing prey underwater, they prefer to swoop down and grab prey near the water’s surface. They use their beaks to scoop up large amounts of water in the hope of finding something to eat, then control their throat muscles to release the water and swallow the food. In addition, they can also steal prey from other birds.