Gannets are incredible birds that dive bomb into the water to hunt fish. After torpedoing into the water at speeds up to 60 miles per hour (100km), the birds catch their prey close to the surface of the water. They often rely on dolphins to drive schools of herring or sardines to the surface.
A family in Newfoundland, Canada, witnessed the birds in action while having dinner and captured the sight on camera. “While sitting eating supper and looking out at the water, we noticed the gannets gathering,” Lana Button wrote. “There were more than usual. They flew in a circular formation much like a swirling hurricane. Then they began to dive.”
The sound the birds make when they hit the water is incredible, especially given the distance Button and her family are from the ocean!
The following footage from Smithsonian gives a close-up view of gannets underwater as they fish alongside dolphins.
And David Attenborough shares a clip of the birds searching for a meal. But he points out how so much traffic at such high speed can result in deadly collisions.
Gannets also have many unique adaptations that make them formidable predators and perfectly adapted for diving. In the following video, Lizzie Daly meets up with Becky Gallantree, Olympic medalist and pro diver to find out what it takes to dive like a gannet.
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