Flight enables birds to cover great distances in search of food. Few animals, either on land or far out at sea, are beyond their reach. A dead animal or a field of crops is quickly spotted by passing birds and turned into a satisfying meal. Meat- and fish-eaters Most fish-eaters use their beaks to catch prey. On land, meat-eaters use their talons for catching small mammals, and their beaks for tearing flesh. Night and day hunters Birds of prey such as the buzzard catch rodents and larger mammals during the day, while owls mostly hunt during the night. Above and below water Gannets have binocular vision, which helps them to track food sources before they plummet underwater. They dive-bomb shoals of fish by plunging, with their wings folded, from heights of up to 30 m (100 ft).They stay below the surface for only a few seconds. Stealth The heron stays still until its prey swims within reach of its stabbing beak. Cormorant skull Strips of meat torn from prey Tawny owl skull Fur is later discarded in pellets Buzzard skull Large forward- pointing eyes Long, straight beak for holding fish Streamlined point for diving Gannet skull