Of course the first thing I thought of was pterosaurs...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/science/26qna.html
Q. How do pelicans learn to dive for fish?
A. Young pelicans learn to feed themselves through a combination of
trial and error, imitation of adult birds and instinct, bird experts
suggest.
In the United States, the Eastern brown pelican (Pelecanus
occidentalis carolinensis) and the California brown pelican (Pelecanus
occidentalis californicus) make dives onto schooling fish from
impressive heights or float on the surface to scavenge fish. A dive
from 30 to 60 feet up, or even higher, hits the water with
considerable force. Fish a few feet below the surface are scooped up,
and water drains from the sides of the pouch. They tilt their heads
back and swallow on the spot.
For young pelicans, some early experience in diving for fish comes
during their time in the nest, when they graduate from feeding on
half-digested fish bits regurgitated by their generous parents to
retrieving fish from the famously capacious pouched parental bills and
even their gullets. The nestlings may dive in shoulder deep to make
the parents disgorge fish. Pelicans are well fed in the nest for 9 to
11 weeks, by which time they are fully feathered and ready to go out
on their own.
Their diving success rate is highly variable and depends on
experience. Adult California brown pelicans bring up fish from around
two-thirds of their dives, while novices appear to have a lot of
trouble; fewer than half survive their first year out of the nest.
Didn't know the mortality rate was that high.
Much has been written and speculated regarding pterosaur flying, but
what about smacking the water?