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The Brown Rat is true omnivore. It will consume almost anything, but with cereals forming a substantial part of the diet. They typically eat up to a third of their body weight a day. Brown Rats are known to catch small fish, other rodents, and also eat nestling birds and eggs. They are usually active at night. They also are good swimmers, both on the surface and underwater, but they are poor climbers. They dig well, and often excavate extensive burrow systems. Rats live wherever people live. It is often said that there are as many rats in cities as people, but this varies from area to area depending on climate, etc. The only way to truly combat the rat problem is reduce the food supply, i.e., garbage left out on the street. The only ratfree zones are the Arctic, the Antarctic, and since the fifties, the provice of Alberta in Canada. Provincially appointed rat catchers, an alert population (mainly grain farmers), and a prohibition for holding rats as pets have succeeded to keep the province ratfree and save farmers plenty of money.