Sven Zacek / Ural Owl (strix uralensis) female with talons ready to attack a ringing ornithologist, Tartumaa county, Southern Estonia. May.

Guy Edwardes / African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer), Savuti, Botswana.

Markus Varesvuo / Hawk owl (Surnia ulula) takingn off from powder snow, possibly with prey in talons, Kuusamo Finland February

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) male flying with talons outstretched, Glenfeshie, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK, May.

Bence Mate / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in flight with nesting material, Hungary, July. Nominated in the Telephoto category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competition 2015.

Sven Zacek / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) chick trying to climb an aspen tree with its beak, talons and wings, Southern Estonia. June.

Sven Zacek / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) chick trying to climb an aspen tree with its beak, talons and wings, Southern Estonia. June.

Espen Bergersen / Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) in flight with guillemot prey. Hornoya birdcliff. Finnmark, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) flying with guillemot prey. Hornoya bird cliff. Finnmark, Norway. March

Todd Mintz / Great horned owlet (Bubo virginianus) talons Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. June 2013.

Markus Varesvuo / White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) with two fish in talons, Norway, October.

Tui De Roy / Galapagos hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) landing, Galapagos, Ecuador. Vulnerable species.

Markus Varesvuo / Steller's Eagle (Haliaeteus pelagicus) in flight over snow, Hokkaido, Japan, February

Ben Cranke / White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) perched on a tree branch, Piaui, Brazil. August.

Sam Hobson / Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), young adult male taking flight from building with prey. Berlin, Germany. March. Nominated in the Melvita Nature Images Awards competition 2014.

Eric Baccega / African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) fishing, Baringo lake, Kenya, Africa.

Ann & Steve Toon / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) catching trout, Rothiemurchus estate, Cairngorms, Scotland, UK, July

Pal Hermansen / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) attacking Jay (Garrulus glandarius) Telemark, Norway, September

Bence Mate / White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) with muddy fish slipping from its claws as it flies up from the water. Hungary. Highly commended in the Birds category, GDT Competition 2013

Denis-Huot,Denis-Huot / White-backed Vulture (Gyps Africanus) feeding, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

Loic Poidevin,Loic Poidevin / Northern Goshawk(Accipiter gentilis) on a branch, Bulgaria, February

Steven David Miller / Whistling kites (Haliastur sphenurus) two in flight, one with prey in talons, over Corroboree Billabong, Mary River, Northern Territory, Australia

Juan Carlos Munoz / Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) talon. Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, February.

Christophe Courteau / Whale headed / Shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) in flight over the swamps of Mabamba, Lake Victoria, Uganda / Bec en sabot, Lac Victoria, Ouganda

Markus Varesvuo / Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) flying low over snow with talons brandished. Kuusamo, Finland, February.

Kim Taylor / Barn Owl (Tyto alba) pouncing. UK, Captive

Juan Carlos Munoz / Close-up of the talons of a Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti). Sierra de Andujar Natural Park, Jaen, Andalusia, Spain, Captive

Jane Burton / Tawny Owl chick (Strix aluco) stretching its wings.

Peter Cairns / RF- Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) sub-adult male (two years) flying down to take prey, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK, captive. (This image may be licensed either as rights managed or royal...

Bence Mate / Two Common buzzards (Buteo buteo) attacking each other in snow, Pusztaszer, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary

Markus Varesvuo / Marsh Harrier (Circus Aeroginosus) in flight over reed bed with prey item in talons. Lithuania. April

Kim Taylor / Ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis) landing. Captive

Kim Taylor / Harris' hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) landing. (digitally enhanced) Captive

Kim Taylor / Sparrowhawk {Accipiter nisus} foot and talon. Captive, UK.

Tom Vezo / Bald eagle {Haliaeetus leucocephalus}. Kenai Peninsula, Alaska.

Michael Richards / John Downer / Eagle cannot open a tortoise's shell so it has to pick it up in talons and drop it on stones to break open (Resolution restriction - image digitised from film, 'Weird Nature' tv series)

David Kjaer / White tailed sea eagle {Haliaeetus albicilla} fishing, off Isle of Skye, Scotland. Sequence 2/3

Alan Murphy / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) flying with talons out, Texas

Thomas Mangelsen / Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flying with captured fish in talons, Homer, Alaska

Edwin Giesbers / Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) in flight with Bird prey in talons. The Netherlands. May.

Edwin Giesbers / Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) in flight with Bird prey in talons. The Netherlands. May.

Pal Hermansen / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in flight with fish it has just caught in talons, on misty morning. Amlivatn lake, Telemark, Norway. August.

Jussi Murtosaari / Red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus) juvenile flying with dragonfly in talons. Jamsa, Central Finland. August.

Jussi Murtosaari / Red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus) juvenile flying with dragonfly in talons. Jamsa, Central Finland. August.

Guy Edwardes / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in flight with talons outstretched. Sanibel Island, Florida, USA. March.

Bernard Castelein / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) juvenile in flight, carrying fish in talons. Allahein River, Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) juvenile carrying fish in talons, flying with wings in v-shape. Allahein River, Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) juvenile carrying fish in talons, flying over Allahein River, . Gambia.