Which birds are commonly associated with feeding on the wing?

• A. Pigeons and doves
• B. Owls and hawks
• C. Swifts and swallows
• D. Ducks and geese

Answer: (C)

Feeding on the wing means catching prey while the bird is flying, typically insects caught mid-air. Swifts and swallows are classic aerial insectivores; they spend most of their time in flight and have the speed and maneuverability to seize insects on the wing, making this behavior a defining trait for them. The other groups don’t fit this pattern: pigeons and doves mainly forage for seeds and fruit, usually on the ground or in vegetation; owls and hawks are predators that may hunt in flight but are not primarily insect-eaters caught in mid-air; ducks and geese feed in water or on land, grazing and dabbling rather than feeding while flying.