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Flying Fish (family Exocoetidae)

FishOpen oceanGlider

Flying fish (Cheilopogon), showing the enlarged, wing-like pectoral fins.

Glider flying fish (Cheilopogon atrisignis).

Image: Dr. Raju Kasambe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Overview

Flying fish (family Exocoetidae) are sleek, open-ocean fish famous for their ability to leap from the sea and glide through the air on greatly enlarged, wing-like pectoral fins. They don't truly fly by flapping — they glide — but the effect is spectacular: a startled flying fish can burst from the water and soar above the waves to escape predators below. There are many species, including “four-winged” kinds that also have enlarged pelvic fins for extra lift. The glider flying fish (Cheilopogon atrisignis) is shown here.

Gliding lets flying fish leave the water entirely to escape fast hunters like tuna, dolphinfish, and squid that pursue them from beneath.

Note: “flying fish” covers many species; details here cover them broadly. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Flying fish live in the warm surface waters of tropical and subtropical oceans around the world, mostly in the open sea near the surface. They are creatures of the sunlit upper layer, where they feed and where their gliding escapes are most useful, and large schools are a familiar sight to ocean voyagers.

Diet

Flying fish are mainly planktivores, feeding on tiny drifting animals (zooplankton) and small organisms near the surface, with some also taking small crustaceans and other tiny prey. In turn they are an important food for many larger ocean predators, making them a key link in open-ocean food webs.

Behavior

To take off, a flying fish swims rapidly toward the surface, breaks through, and beats its still-submerged tail extremely fast to gain speed before spreading its wing-like fins and lifting clear of the water. A single glide can cover a long distance, and by dipping the tail back in to thrash again, the fish can chain several glides together, staying airborne for impressive stretches. They are attracted to lights at night and sometimes land on the decks of boats. Gliding is almost entirely an escape tactic, helping them flee predators that can't follow them into the air.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Flying fish are caught for food in many parts of the world and are culturally important in some regions (they even feature as a national symbol of Barbados). They are generally abundant and a vital part of ocean food webs, supporting fisheries and feeding countless predators and seabirds. Consult authoritative sources for species-specific details.

More photos of the flying fish

A flying fish with its broad wing-like fins spread.

Flying fish (Cheilopogon atrisignis).

Image: Dr. Raju Kasambe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently Asked Questions — Flying Fish

Do flying fish actually fly?
Not by flapping — they glide. A flying fish builds up speed underwater, bursts through the surface, and rapidly beats its still-submerged tail to accelerate before spreading its enlarged, wing-like fins and gliding above the waves. It's true gliding flight, used mainly to escape predators, rather than powered flight like a bird's.
How far can a flying fish glide?
Surprisingly far. A single glide can cover a long distance over the water, and by dipping its tail back in and thrashing again, a flying fish can link several glides together, sometimes staying airborne for hundreds of metres in total. This lets it travel well clear of underwater predators.
Why do flying fish leap out of the water?
Mainly to escape. Predators such as tuna, dolphinfish, and squid chase flying fish from below, so leaping out and gliding through the air lets them flee where those hunters can't follow. Gliding is essentially a high-speed escape strategy rather than a way of feeding or travelling for its own sake.
What do flying fish eat?
They feed mostly on plankton — tiny drifting animals near the ocean surface — along with small crustaceans and other little prey. As abundant surface fish, they're also a major food source for larger ocean predators and seabirds, making them an important link in open-ocean food webs.

Sources and further reading

Authoritative wildlife references used for general educational context. Conservation status should always be verified against current IUCN Red List data. External links open in a new tab.