In a Showdown With Great White Sharks, Bird Proves It’s a Boss

A bird proved it’s an absolute boss when it avoided not one or two but eight passes by two different great white sharks off the coast of San Diego, California. The drone pilot and shark-behavior enthusiast who captured the video, Scott Fairchild, says we could all learn a thing or two from this bad*ss seabird.

“This is one of my all time favorite interactions,” Fairchild says in his video caption. “This bad*ss bird is a perfect example of how to handle being approached by a shark in open water. Always face it, always maintain eye contact, stare it down. Let it know: I see you! I’m aware of you! This bird was even putting his head underwater to stare at it, making sure the shark knew it saw it.”

In the video, you can see a bird floating on the surface of the ocean as a large shark swims by. This happens again and again, suggesting the sharks are circling, waiting for an opportunity to grab it. Each time a shark gets close, the bird ducks its face in the water and stares the apex predator down.

While seabirds don’t make up a large percentage of great whites’ diets, they are on the menu. Not this bird, though.

“Well played Mr Bird, well played,” Fairchild says.

Watch a bird avoid two great white sharks here (watch until the end for a close call):

A bird proved it’s an absolute boss when it avoided not one or two but eight passes by two different great white sharks off the coast of San Diego, California. The drone pilot and shark-behavior enthusiast who captured the video, Scott Fairchild, says we could all learn a thing or two from this bad*ss seabird.

“This is one of my all time favorite interactions,” Fairchild says in his video caption. “This bad*ss bird is a perfect example of how to handle being approached by a shark in open water. Always face it, always maintain eye contact, stare it down. Let it know: I see you! I’m aware of you! This bird was even putting his head underwater to stare at it, making sure the shark knew it saw it.”

In the video, you can see a bird floating on the surface of the ocean as a large shark swims by. This happens again and again, suggesting the sharks are circling, waiting for an opportunity to grab it. Each time a shark gets close, the bird ducks its face in the water and stares the apex predator down.

While seabirds don’t make up a large percentage of great whites’ diets, they are on the menu. Not this bird, though.

“Well played Mr Bird, well played,” Fairchild says.

Watch a bird avoid two great white sharks here (watch until the end for a close call):