Many species use visual cues to locate fruits, seeds, and insects. Bird species that forage for flying insects on the wing, such as swallows and flycatchers, are agile and swift flyers. Many other insectivores are gleaners, searching for insects in vegetation or on the trunks of trees. We will observe a number of different strategies used by fish-eating birds. Some hover above a body of water and dive in, others wade and jab, and still others swim at or under the surface of the water.
Some species specialize in stealing the prey of other species.
Many falcons, hawks, and owls specialize in capturing avian or mammalian prey, and thus have excellent eyesight and are powerful and silent flyers. Lots of bird species live in flocks, at least part of the time. Many species flock during the winter, but are territorial during the breeding season. Bird flocks are often competitive rather than cooperative assemblages. The benefits of flocking include increased vigilance for predators and greater foraging efficiency.