Many birds make their home in or near fresh water. They may swim on the water, feeding on water plants, or they may dive to catch fish or other water creatures. Others wade in shallow water to find food, and some dig in the damp soil and mud at the water's edge. There is a wide variety of watery habitats in Britain that support many different kinds of birds. Lakes vary greatly in size, from small ones not much bigger than ponds to huge stretches of water like areas of the Lake District and Lochs in Scotland. The depth of water gives diving birds an opportunity to seek food. During the summer, ospreys may be seen splashing down into a lake to grab a fish. Divers and grebes may also be seen on lakes in summer, the grebes building floating nests of water plants. Most depart for the seashore in winter, though little grebes and great crested grebes may remain. Watch out for the grebes courtship dances in spring. Diving ducks such as the tufted duck and pochard are common on lakes, though some go to the coast for the winter. Reservoirs may also attract these birds, and in winter they are a good place to see gulls and ducks, which come to roost on the water. The shallow waters at the edges of lakes suit dabbling ducks and swans, which lower their heads or up-end in the water to feed. On the grass at the sides of the lake, various species of geese may graze.

The flowing water of rivers contains all kinds of food for water birds, but many will come only if the current is slow. Some birds are suited to rivers. Dippers fly up and down, and can swim down into the water to feed. They may be seen on rivers all the year round, as can the multi coloured kingfishers, which make lightning dives into the water to catch fish. Grey wagtails are also resident river birds, even though they feed on insects. The yellow wagtail and swallow may be seen hunting for insects over the water in summer. The shallow water, damp soil and reed beds of marshes and lake shores suit many birds. Long-legged wading birds like herons can stand or walk in the water and lower their heads to catch fish and other water animals. Moorhens and coots swim on the water and nest among the reeds. The reeds may also conceal such timid birds as bitterns, warblers, water rails and bearded tits. Birds such as plovers, sandpipers and snipe dig in damp soil to find food. They come to marshes to nest, and many remain during the winter if the ground does not freeze. Over the reeds throughout the year may fly harriers. These large birds of prey fly slowly to and fro, seeking animals in the reeds and marshy pools.