Pigeons Picking Up Some Rice On Grass

The birds that live on or near water have adapted to be able to find food during the entire year. Saltwater birds such as gulls and terns live on the small fish they are able to capture and by being scavengers. They will eat the leftovers they find almost anywhere within the range of their habitat.

The bald eagle subsists mainly on fish and carrion, catching its own meal with its sharp talons or eating from the carcasses of dead animals. The osprey--the only North American bird of prey that will actually dive into the water--uses its superior eyesight to spot fish while flying and then swoops into the water after them.

One common trait that nearly all birds share is excellent eyesight, which allows them to see a potential meal from a distance before they are spotted. Water birds such as herons, cranes, ducks, loons, geese, grebes, and coots dine on combinations of water bugs, aquatic vegetation, small fish, invertebrates, frogs, seeds, grains and nuts. However, these species must fly to warmer climates in the winter to be able to eat since they depend on finding open water where their main food sources may thrive.

Owls are a species of birds known as birds of prey. They hunt mostly at night and kill small mammals such as moles, voles, mice and rabbits. Owls will also eat other birds, using their sharp claws and beaks to kill them after swooping down upon them. Hawks, harriers, kites, and falcons will eat much the same type of creatures that owls do.

All birds of prey have acute vision which they use to find a meal while they are either in the sky flying or perched somewhere. Once a target is spotted, the bird will plunge down and snatch up the usually unsuspecting animal and carry it off where it will use its equally strong beak to tear it to bits before devouring it.