Dolphin (Bottle-Nosed) - Food and Feeding

Bottle nosed dolphins are commonly sighted around the British Isles, where they are seen mainly in seas to the south and west. Their diet comprises eels, squid and salmon, anchovy, capelin and other inshore fish, as well as shrimp. 

When fish are moving in large shoals, large groups of dolphins form to herd the fish into a mass on which they can feed at leisure. The dolphins whistle directions to each other and it is thought that they also direct loud noises at the fish to confuse them. When the shoals are scarce, individual dolphins hunt at night for bottom-dwelling fish and squid. They can feed at depths of up to 280m, can dive to 600m and stay underwater for up to 15 minutes between breaths.