You'd be forgiven for assuming that an osprey, in all its raptorial splendour, would easily come out on top in a tussle with its somewhat comical-looking avian cousin, the pelican. But you'd be wrong. American nature photographer and videographer Mark Smith recently captured footage of a crafty brown pelican launching an audacious (and successful) ambush on a hunting osprey. The large-billed bird shot up from the water like a feathery missile, aiming straight for an osprey carrying a freshly caught fish. Beak wide open and ready for the ultimate smash-and-grab, the pelican clamped onto the fish while it was still firmly gripped in the osprey’s talons, nearly dragging the raptor down with it.

With water looming dangerously close, the osprey had no choice but to let go, leaving the pelican to claim its hard-won takeaway.

Smith caught this incredible footage in November in Florida (no surprises there), where brown pelicans have developed quite the reputation for their kleptomaniac tendencies. But according to him, these feathered food bandits don’t always succeed, making this cheeky heist a rare win for Team Pelican.

Now, let’s not overlook the osprey here – these raptors are expert hunters, with eyesight so sharp it’s basically nature’s version of 8K. Add to that their strong talons, and you’ve got yourself a fish-catching machine. Their technique? A spectacular dive, feet first, from high above the water. When the time’s just right, they strike, snatching their prey and flying off to a quiet spot to tuck into their meal. Of course, that plan doesn’t always go smoothly when opportunistic pelicans are hanging around.

Brown pelicans, hefty birds that weigh in at three times the size of ospreys, don’t win any awards for hunting finesse. They’re more about the “go big or go home” approach. Instead of diving deep or chasing prey underwater like boobies do, pelicans prefer to plunge-dive and scoop up their meals near the surface. They gulp down a mouthful of water (and hopefully something edible), then flex their throat muscles to drain out the liquid and swallow the good stuff (when they aren't just stealing their food from other birds, that is).

This little wildlife spectacle is a reminder that nature is full of surprises. Or, as Smith so aptly puts it, “It’s crazy out there sometimes!”

Here's a more recent clip of another successful heist orchestrated by a pelican (they seem to be getting better at it) ...