Bodies of water are often places to watch exciting hunts. Populated and frequented by all manner of creatures, there is often sure to be something going on.
In this case, it was an African darter hunting for fish, which Bianca van der Net caught on camera, and then sent to Latest Sightings. The bird appeared to have had a very successful time hunting, and was just starting to enjoy the fruits of its labors.
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Bountiful Hunting
By the time Bianca’s footage began, the bird had already managed to dive and spear its fish through. It was swimming jubilantly in circles holding the fish high in the air while it tried to get it in the right position for swallowing.
At first, it appeared that the darter had stuck its beak in the fish because of its spearfishing hunting methods, but as it slowly span in the water it became clear that its beak was open but the fish was sideways and wouldn’t fit down its narrow neck.
The desperate fish was still clinging to the prospect of survival for as long as it could, trying fiercely to escape. Its throes made it appear that the bird was shaking it in its head, but the darter was actually struggling to hold it still.
A Tasty Meal
In the end, despite the fish’s best efforts to escape, the darter was able to maneuver it into a position where it could suddenly swallow it whole. With a flourish, the bird flipped the fish into the air and then caught it, ending the hunt.
Despite its long narrow neck, the darter was able to swallow the unfortunate fish quickly, and it finished the meal in a matter of seconds. Because of the bulge in the bird’s neck the fish could be tracked on its way to the stomach.
Once it had swallowed its bounty, the darter followed it with a little water, and gave itself a good shake. It had been a successful hunt and now it had the opportunity to relax a little.
Living The Aquatic Lifestyle
Using their feathers that are less buoyant than other water birds, darters dive down into the water and use their long pointed beaks to spear their prey, and often swim with only their neck and head above the surface.
Because their feathers aren’t as water resistant as other aquatic birds, the darter would need to get out and dry itself off now that it had successfully caught its prey. It would only be able to dive so many times before it needed to get back onto dry land.
Because of their habit of swimming with only their necks and heads out of the water, their body is often under the water for long periods of time. If they get too soaked then they’ll struggle to fly.
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After Dinner Relaxation
Now that this darter had secured itself a large fish for its meal and satisfied its hunger, it’s likely that it’ll start thinking about sitting somewhere safe at the edge of the water and letting its feathers thoroughly dry out.
Crocodiles and hippos aren’t always the most dangerous things around water. Despite its small size, this African darter proved itself as a more than dangerous predator by skillfully catching and dispatching its fish.