John Shaw / Snowy egret (Egretta thula) shows its breeding plumage. St. Johns Management Area, Florida, USA, March.

Pedro Narra / Black erget (Egretta gularis) displaying, Joao Vieira Poillo , Bijagos Archipellago. Guinea Bissau

Bence Mate / Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) and Little egret (Egretta garzetta) Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. May.

Bence Mate / Group of Little egrets (Egretta garzetta) displaying its ornamental feathers, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary. February.

Wim van den Heever / Black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) fishing and using wings to create an area of shade to attract fish, on the banks of the Chobe River, Botswana.

Bence Mate / Little egret (Egretta garzetta) shaking water off wings at sunset, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary. May. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competition 2015.

Bence Mate / Little egret (Egretta garzetta) and Grey herons (Ardea cinerea) reflected in lake at twilight, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary. June. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images...

George Sanker / Snowy egret (Egretta thula) with plumes erect, St. Augustine, Florida, USA, April.

Claudio Contreras / Tricoloured heron (Egretta tricolor), Guerrero Negro, Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, May

Staffan Widstrand,Staffan Widstrand / Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippinensis) Great white egret, (Casmerodius albus) Little egret (Egretta garzetta) Eurasian flamingo, (Phoenicopterus roseus) Spoonbill (Platalea leucrodia) reflecte...

Jack Dykinga / Snowy egrets (Egretta thula) fishing in parks ponds and fighting over fish catch. Gilbert, Arizona, USA.

Nick Upton / Little egret (Egretta garzetta) fishing in a flooded saltmarsh creek at high tide, Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Nature Reserve, Hampshire, UK. December.

George Sanker / Tricolored heron (Egretta tricolor) fishing in pond, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. March.

George Sanker / Tricolored heron (Egretta tricolor) fishing in pond, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. March.

George Sanker / Great egret (Ardea alba) and two Snowy egrets (egretta thula) wading in sallow water, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. March.

Staffan Widstrand / Little egret (Egretta garzetta) portrait, Pusztaszer reserve, Hungary. May.

Staffan Widstrand / Little egret (Egretta garzetta) portrait, Pusztaszer reserve, Hungary. May.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings spread, chasing small fish, Kotu creek, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Kotu creek, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Kotu creek, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Kotu creek, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Kotu creek, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Kotu creek, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Kotu creek, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Kotu creek, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) fishing in shallow water with wings open, Allahien river, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Allahien river, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Allahien river, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Allahien river, The Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Western reef egret (Egretta gularis) running through shallow water with wings open, chasing small fish, Allahien river, The Gambia.

Roland Seitre / Flock of Little egret (Egretta garzetta) gathering at water's edge. Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, Senegal.

Roland Seitre / Little egret (Egretta garzetta) fishing in shallow water, Dhofar, Oman.

Roland Seitre / Little egret (Egretta garzetta) walking through dry grassland, Fleury, Occitania, France. May.

Roland Seitre / Little egret (Egretta garzetta) walking through dry grassland, Fleury, Occitania, France. May.

Roland Seitre / Intermediate egret (Mesophoyx intermedia) portrait, Dhofar, Oman.

Roland Seitre / Intermediate egret (Mesophoyx intermedia) wading in shallow water, Dhofar, Oman.

Roland Seitre / Dimorphic egret (Egretta dimorpha) standing on a branch, Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.

Roland Seitre / Black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) fishing in shallow water,near Abuko Nature Reserve, Banjul, Gambia.

Roland Seitre / Black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) fishing in shallow water, near Abuko Nature Reserve, Banjul, Gambia.

Roland Seitre / Black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) fishing in shallow water with wings spread, near Abuko Nature Reserve, Banjul, Gambia.

Roland Seitre / Black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) fishing in shallow water with wings spread, near Abuko Nature Reserve, Banjul, Gambia.

Roland Seitre / Western reef heron (Egretta gularis) standing in water, Dhofar, Oman.

Roland Seitre / Western reef heron (Egretta gularis) resting in shallow water, white and dark grey colour morph, St Louis du Senegal, Senegal.

Roland Seitre / Eastern reef heron (Egretta sacra) wading in shallow water, Isle of Pine, New Caledonia, Pacific Ocean.

Roland Seitre / Eastern reef heron (Egretta sacra) standing on the shore, Huka, Marquesas Islands, Pacific Ocean.