# Catfish like orcas

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catfish-like-orcas/643514>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 9, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catfish-like-orcas/643514 "2012-12-09T17:04:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catfish-like-orcas/643514/1 "2012-12-09T17:04:22Z")

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[Catfish found to beach themselves, orca-like, to catch land birds](http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/45134/catfish+found+to+beach+themselves+orca-like+to+catch+land+birds/)

> [@](#):
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> Most people who watch nature shows have seen the famous killer whales of Patagonia rushing up onto the shore to catch unsuspecting sea lions. But how about catfish preying in the same orca-like manner on pigeons? Researchers have studied this phenomenon and published their findings in the journal PLoS One, along with the accompanying video showing two successful and two unsuccessful attacks.

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**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_First_Time)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catfish-like-orcas/643514/2 "2012-12-09T22:03:05Z")

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Unlike the baby seals, it looked like the pigeons got away more than they got caught. Guess the fish need Orca-teeth.

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**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catfish-like-orcas/643514/3 "2012-12-09T22:38:00Z")

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So _that’s_ why they call them catfish.

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catfish-like-orcas/643514/4 "2012-12-09T23:38:09Z")

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> [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](#):
>
> Unlike the baby seals, it looked like the pigeons got away more than they got caught.

> [@](#):
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> “Among a total of 45 beaching behaviors observed and filmed, 28 percent were successful in bird capture.”

Apparently so.

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**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catfish-like-orcas/643514/5 "2012-12-10T03:56:46Z")

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I found it most interesting that the cat fish seemd to be learning the behavior from one another. 28% success is actually pretty good for a hunter. Catfish like most fish do school and feed together but I am surprised they were able to learn a hunting tecnique that was not instinctual.