Killer whales knock seabirds out of the water

While teaching her calves how to hunt, Bigg's killer whale tosses murres off the water's surface .

The killer whale knocked over some seabirds that were perched on the water's surface.

Evan Brodsky, a passenger on a Monterey Bay Whale Watch tour boat, captured footage of the Bigg pod of killer whales in high spirits in Monterey Bay, California, IFL Science reported on September 20. They flapped their tails, jumped out of the water, and even tossed some seabirds that were perched on the surface of the water to teach their young how to hunt.

The birds being 'harassed' by the killer whales in the video are common murres ( Uria aalge ) , which nest in large communities on coastal cliffs and spend much of their time offshore. While the actions of killer whales may seem playful, learning to hunt is an important life skill for young murres.

According to the whale watch group, the killer whales in the video are Bigg's killer whales , a recently discovered species separate from the resident killer whales . Bigg's killer whales travel in smaller pods and typically hunt marine animals, while resident killer whales typically feed on salmon. Experts plan to name Bigg's killer whales Orcinus rectipinnus , which is Latin for upright wing, possibly referring to their tall, pointed dorsal fins. Meanwhile, the resident killer whales' tentative scientific name is Orcinus ater , which comes from their predominantly black coloration.

Bigg the killer whale plays in Monterey Bay. (Video: Monterey Bay Whale Watch).

Bigg's killer whales are nomadic , frequently traveling along coastlines. They are also reported to be less vocal than resident killer whales, which helps them stay hidden when hunting large prey.

Bigg's killer whales and resident killer whales don't mix , according to Barbara Taylor, a marine biologist who formerly worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries). "They're the most distinct killer whales in the world, they live right next to each other and see each other all the time. They just don't mix ," Taylor explains.