A mixed diet Birds that survive on a mixed diet take advantage of any meal that comes their way. These scavengers thrive on waste food and household rubbish, as well as more natural food items. Ever-adaptable crows Crows are among the most successful generalist feeders in the bird world. They have a bold, inquisitive nature, together with a strong, all-purpose beak. Insects, dead birds, live mammals, worms, and seeds all feature in their diet. A freshwater opportunist The small, aggressive coot lives by lakes and rivers. It eats any water life it can find, including weeds, snails, tadpoles, fish, and even young ducklings. Water snails from slow-moving fresh water Animals and plants eaten by coots in shallow ponds Magpie skull Crow skull Coot skull Jay skull Ground beetle Centipede Invertebrates and insects Egg broken open after being stolen from nest Nuts eaten by birds have rough- edged holes Seeds Ramshorn water snail Greater pond snail Algae Toad tadpole Duckweed EYEWITNESS Gannets can fly over water at an average speed of 15 kph (10 mph). Alexander Bond Canadian biologist Alexander Bond focuses on how plastics in the marine environment are eaten by seabirds, and the devastating effect this has on their populations. He also champions LGBTQIA+ inclusion in conservation biology. Earthworm