Captivating drone footage shows whale enjoying feast of fish off New York coast

A resident of Long Island captured mesmerizing drone footage of a whale snacking on a large school of fish off the coast of New York.

Michael Busch told Storyful he was flying his drone near the coast when he spotted schools of Atlantic menhaden, also known as bunker fish. Video footage captured by Busch show the school of fish moving in a circle in water when a whale, which Busch said was a humpback, swims right into them and starts feasting.

Humpback whales are a common sight around New York, especially in the summer and fall, when they swim close to the shore, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. They're known for bubble net feeding and breaching, the agency states, adding that they can eat up to 3,000 pounds of menhaden a day.

Atlantic menhaden, on the other hand, are found in abundance, swimming in large schools along the Atlantic coast of the U.S., according to the department. Menhaden are an important prey species for many types of wildlife, including, striped bass, bluefish, sharks and sea birds.

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Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.