David Pattyn / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) group in flight, Bernese Alps, Switzerland, November

David Pattyn / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in flight. Stelvio National Park, Italian Alps, Solda, Sulden am Ortler, Sudtirol, Italy. January 2013.

Fabrice Cahez / Red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) perched on rock with one on right calling, Gorges du tarn, France, January.

Philippe Clement / Alpine Chough / Yellow-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) flock in flight against mountains, Dolomites, Italy. Digital composite.

Nick Upton / Alpine / Yellow-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) flying past waterfall and sheer cliffs of the Cirque de Gavarnie, Haute Pyrenees, France.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) perching on wood with feathers ruffled, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Markus Varesvuo / Alpine choughs (Pyrrhocorax graculus) flying over snow covered mountain with tracks from snow boarders in the snow, Morocco, February 2009

Angelo Gandolfi / Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) hunting Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus). Pyrenees, Aragon, Spain.

Angelo Gandolfi / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in karst mountains of Picos de Europa National Park, Cantabria, Spain.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Schandy / Apline / Yellow-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in flight, Mount Elbrus, Caucasus, Russia, June 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Schandy / Mount Donguzorun (4,448m) with Yellow-billed / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) flying, Caucasus, Russia, June 2008.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lesniewski / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in flight, Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria, July 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lesniewski / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in flight with feet stretched out, Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria, July 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lesniewski / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) on a rock, Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria, July 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lesniewski / Two Alpine choughs (Pyrrhocorax graculus) on a rock, Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria, July 2008

Jose B. Ruiz / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) on snow, Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) on snow, Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain

Rolf Nussbaumer / Alpine chough in flight {Pyrrhocorax graculus} Switzerland

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) group flying over Karsha Gompa, a Buddhist monastery founded in the 10th Century. At 3650m altitude. Padum Valley, Zanskar, Ladakh, India. September 2011.

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) flying over Phugtal Gompa, a Buddhist monastery at 3950m in altitude, built on limestone cliff. Tsarap River, Zanskar.

David Pattyn / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in flight over its winter Alpine environment Leukerbad, Wallis, Valais, Switzerland, March

Dave Bevan / Red billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) preening and vocalising, Gwynedd, Wales, UK, May.

Guy Edwardes / Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus), Slovenia, February.

Guy Edwardes / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) landing, Slovenia.

Oriol Alamany / Yellow-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) flying through snow in Kibber, Spiti Valley, Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, Himalaya, Himachal Pradesh, India, March

David Pattyn / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) sitting on a lens of a wildlife photographer, Leukerbad, Vallais, Wallis, Switzerland, January

David Pattyn / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in snow, Gran Paradiso National Park, Aosta Valley, Italy, April

David Pattyn / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in snow covered landscape, Gran Paradiso National Park, Aosta Valley, Italy, April

Nick Garbutt / Pair of Red-billed choughs (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) on a rocky garden wall. High mountain village, Ladakh, northern India.

Konrad Wothe / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) flying over mountain top, Karwendel, Alps, Upper Bavaria, Germany. April

Konrad Wothe / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) group of three in snow, Karwendel, Alps, Upper Bavaria, Germany. April

Konrad Wothe / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) group of three in snow, Karwendel, Alps, Upper Bavaria, Germany. April

Guy Edwardes / Red billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) in flight, Great Saltee, County Wexford, Ireland, June.

Mike Read / Red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) in flight, South Stack Cliffs RSPB Reserve, Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales, UK, April.

Loic Poidevin / Red billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) in field, Island of Islay, Scotland, UK, September

David Tipling / Red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) head portrait, Belchite Spain July

David Tipling / Red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) Belchite Spain, July

David Kjaer / Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) Spain, July

Klein & Hubert / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) on rock in Alps, Austria

Klein & Hubert / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) on rock in Alps, Austria

Klein & Hubert / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) on rock in Alps, Austria

Klein & Hubert / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) on rock in alpine meadow, Austria

Klein & Hubert / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) on rock in alpine meadow, Austria

David Pattyn / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) group resting in snow, Stelvio National Park, Sudtirol, Italy. March

David Pattyn / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) group resting in snow, Stelvio National Park, Sudtirol, Italy. March

David Pattyn / Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in flight, Bernese Alps, Switzerland, November

Fabrice Cahez / Red-billed chough, (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) flock in flight, Gorges du Tarn, France, March.

Konstantin Mikhailov / Mongolian ground jay (Podoces hendersoni), Gobi Desert, Mongolia, August.