While the topic of atypical bird behavior is on the floor, one of the most unusual  
among my observations occured when I was in Maine awaiting a ride from my  host.  
I didn't have my binoculars with me, but I noticed a house sparrow hopping around  
on the curb. A small insect flew  by and this house sparrow flew up quickly and  
caught the insect in mid-air, and flew off to a nest on the gutter of my motel  
where it fed the insect to its young!
I knew that seed-eating sometimes feed protein-rich foods to their young, but  
I didn't believe they could catch them in mid-air.
Is this a common phenomenon?

Bob