Anup Shah / Lesser flamingos {Phoeniconaias minor} performing 'wing salute' as part of courtship display, the wings are spread out to the side of the body and held in this position for several seconds, making the...

Jose B. Ruiz / Great bustard bird feather detail {Otis tarda}

Oscar Dewhurst / Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) drake swimming on pond, backlit by rising sun and bokeh effect, Richmond Park, London, UK. February.

David Pattyn / Mute swan (Cygnus olor) in early morning light removing its own feathers, Valkenhorst Nature Reserve, The Netherlands, Europe. August.

Markus Varesvuo / Two male Black grouse (Tetrao / Lyrurus tetrix) fighting at lek. Utajarvi, Finland, April.

Claudio Contreras / Caribbean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) chick peering from under the wing of protective parent, breeding colony, Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, June. Bookplate.

David Tipling / Red grouse (Lagopus lagopus) male in flight over Heather. Grinton Moor, above Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales National Park, England, UK. July.

David Tipling / Red grouse (Lagopus lagopus) male in flight. Grinton Moor, above Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales National Park, England, UK. July.

Jeff Foott / California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) landing, forest in background. Bird with tags on wings. Near San Pedro Martir National Park, Northern Baja California, Mexico. 2017.

Eric Medard / Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) flying / hovering in the rain, Mayenne, France. April.

Guy Edwardes / Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) in flight. Slovenia. February.

Guy Edwardes / Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) feeding on berries, perched on branch. Finland. February.

Markus Varesvuo / Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) male displaying with bokeh effect in the foreground, Liminka, Finland, March

Markus Varesvuo / Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) male displaying with bokeh effect in the foreground, Liminka, Finland, March

Markus Varesvuo / White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) with backlit wings, and water spray, Norway, October

Tim Laman / Canada goose (Branta canadensis) with gosling, a few days old. Massachusetts, USA. April.

John Cancalosi / Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus), sunbathing. Warming itself by erecting feathers to allow sun to strike directly on black skin. Arizona, USA.

Guy Edwardes / Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) portrait, close-up, Lake Kerkini, Greece

Guy Edwardes / Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus), Lake Kerkini, Greece

Markus Varesvuo / Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) plucking a Willow Grouse (Lagopus lagopus) Liminka, Finland, March.

Marie Read / Roseate spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja) adult in breeding plumage preening tail feathers, Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA, January.

David Pattyn / Great white egret (Egretta Alba) preening its feathers, Valkenhorst Nature Reserve, Valkenswaard, The Netherlands, July

Russell Cooper / Mandarin duck drake (Aix galericulata) on the water, showing orange 'sail' feathers which are used when displaying, Southwest London, UK, March.

Staffan Widstrand / Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in flight over snow. Kalvtrask, Vasterbotten, Lapland, Sweden. January.

Paul Hobson / Rufous motmot (Baryphthengus martii) perched on branch. Rancho Naturalista, Cartago, Costa Rica.

Paul Hobson / Resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) male perched on branch. Costa Rica.

Markus Varesvuo / Blue tit (Parus caeruleus) perched on tree trunk, looking at camera with wing stretched. Haukipudas, Finland. January.

Markus Varesvuo / Jay (Garrulus glandarius), two fighting in mid-air with another observing. Norway. October.

Sven Zacek / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) female on nest, male landing with twig in beak. Tartumaa, Southern Estonia. April.

Sven Zacek / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) female stretching wings whilst perched in Spruce (Picea sp) tree. Tartumaa, Southern Estonia. May.

Sven Zacek / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) female on nest after snowfall. Tartumaa, Southern Estonia. March.

Sven Zacek / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) female on nest in tree stump. Tartumaa, Southern Estonia. April.

Sven Zacek / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) female in flight having taken off from nest, in evening light. Tartumaa, Southern Estonia. May.

Tui De Roy / Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi), two on rock. Bird drying wings in foreground with other sitting on nest in background. Cape Douglas, Fernandina Island, Galapagos.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) landing. Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela Island, Galapagos.

Bence Mate / European roller (Coracias garrulus) peering out of nest with feather, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary, February.

Nick Garbutt / Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus), male displaying at lek in tree. Manu Biosphere Reserve, Amazonia, Peru.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) male jumping, Yangxian Biosphere Reserve, Shaanxi, China

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

Claudio Contreras / Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) chick under the wing of protective parent, breeding colony, Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, June.Finalist in the Portfolio Category...

Paul D Stewart / Photographic reconstruction of Archaeopteryx by Paul D. Stewart. The fossils of this species was from 150 million years ago, and is thought of as a stage between feathered dinosaurs and modern birds.