Is That Bird Holding A Shark? Viral Video Leaves Internet Stunned

The latest in the long line of strange things we have seen in 2020 is a video of a bird flying with a large fish - which some guessed to be a small shark - gripped firmly within its claws. Footage shot last week at USA's Myrtle Beach shows the predatory bird flying over beachgoers with the fish dangling from its claws and has elicited stunned reactions from social media viewers.  

According to CBS News, the unusual scene was captured last week by Ashley White. It began to gain attention after Kelly Burbage shared the video on a public Facebook group, writing: "Eagle? Condor? Caught a shark in Myrtle Beach!" The clip was then re-posted on Twitter, where it has collected a whopping 23.3 million views and thousands of comments. 

Twitter account 'Tracking Sharks' asked for the public's help in identifying the bird as well as the fish while re-posting the video, which shows the fish trying to free itself from the clutches of the bird in vain. "Anyone know what type of bird this is and is it holding a shark?" Tracking Sharks asked. Take a look at the video below:

Anyone know what type of bird this is and is it holding a shark? #myrtlebeach ???? Kelly Burbage pic.twitter.com/gc59xihiM7

— Tracking Sharks (@trackingsharks) June 30, 2020

"Nature is crazy," wrote one person while responding to the video.

"Okay, this is insane," said another.

Many Twitter users tried to guess the kind of fish the bird held - and a debate ranged between a small shark, a ladyfish or a Spanish mackerel. 

This is a ladyfish indeed!

— Ed Killer (@TCPalmEKiller) June 30, 2020

It's an osprey with a spanish mackerel. 100% confident.

— Ed Piotrowski (@EdPiotrowski) July 1, 2020

As for the bird, the general consensus seemed to be that it was an osprey - a large raptor that feeds on fish. 

Definitely an Osprey... check out some of these images taken from our hide in England..amazing birds! pic.twitter.com/mmbJdiboLC

— River Gwash Ospreys (@GwashOspreys) July 1, 2020

In April, a video of a bizarre black creature had also gone massively viral online.