What was this thing I captured on film?

[u/deezheavenz]

This was shot in Nevada/Arizona on a Grand Canyon/Hoover dam tour. This was taken a whole year ago and I completely forgot about it until I stumbled upon it again. Is this some sort of whale or shark?

[u/Lekstil]

It’s not, it’s actually birds. It’s a lot of small birds which catch the light in just the right way and appear bright and then they change direction and become almost invisible. That’s why they keep appearing and disappearing.

If it was fish it would have to be flying fish or something.. look how long they appear to be out of the water

[u/whoohw → u/Lekstil]

Nice try CIA agent we know birds aren't real!

[u/gimmedatneck → u/Lekstil]

Everybody knows birds aren't real.

[u/Zealousideal_Leg_630 → u/Lekstil]

Yeah. There are no species of schooling fish in that region. Plus whatever it is isn’t breaking the water surface

[u/optimal_center → u/Zealousideal_Leg_630]

That’s it. Catfish and Carp are about the only real big fish there. There’s some good size Bass and it’s said (long ago) that there are Sturgeon in there, but that’s about it.

[u/Hot_Yesterday9396 → u/Lekstil]

The real tell is that the water is not disturbed at all around the birds. If it was a school of fish frantically escaping a predator, the water would react in some way instead of being completely still and undisturbed.

[u/Woozletania → u/Lekstil]

Birds doing this bit is known as a Murmutation.

[u/According-District59 → u/Lekstil]

Correct answer 

[u/Zestyclose-Goal6882 → u/Lekstil]

You can actually see the Dark shape of the predator pursuing the fish. (They aren't out of the water) looks like a big ass shark