Watch Birds As They Snatch Food in Slow Motion

Unbound by human concerns of decorum, nature can be arresting in its displays of unadulterated behavior. Even birds, which are often perceived as whimsical thanks to their melodious chirping, are stealth gluttons. The evidence can be seen in the video below, which consists of birds—including a red-bellied woodpecker—zeroing in on a feeding opportunity while being filmed in slow motion.

According to Nerdist, photographer Jocelyn Anderson uses slow-mo video to isolate the movements of birds that typically move too quickly to study in real time. Anderson films her avian subjects in a local park in her home state of Michigan. In addition to the woodpecker, you can see the masticating of a black-capped chickadee and a tufted titmouse. The chickadee performs a perfect side kick to knock a colleague out of the way, while the titmouse seemingly stops to ponder its good fortune in finding a hand full of food.

Bird feeding is actually a pretty big business, with one estimate putting it at $4 billion a year. It’s generally not harmful to provide food for wild birds. Although using feeders may increase the chances of spreading disease or facilitating predation, there’s evidence having a bird vending machine for snacks may help some species survive harsh winters—provided another bird doesn't kick them out of the way first.

[h/t Nerdist]