Coots fighting by Andrew Parkinson, Derbyshire, UK. Gold award winner in the bird behaviour category. Two common coots (Fulica atra) fighting in a dispute over territory, the backdrop illuminated by dawn sunlight. (Photo by Andrew Parkinson/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Pink flamingo feeding their young by Alejandro Prieto Rojas, Mexico. Gold award and Bird Photographer of the Year 2017 winner in the best portrait category. This image was taken during the annual feeding of the flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) chicks at their nesting area at Río Lagartos in Mexico. (Photo by Alejandro Prieto Rojas/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





A perfect landing by Bret Charman, New South Wales, Australia. Gold award winner in the birds in flight category. “I was photographing Australian pelicans (Pelicanus conspicillatus) on the edge of a small mangrove swamp – they were resting in the calm, shallow waters and the soft evening light was providing the perfect conditions to capture reflections. I was photographing a portrait of an individual when I heard the wing beats of another bird coming into land and took this snap”. (Photo by Bret Charman/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Bearded sunset by Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner in best portfolio category and honourable mention for best portrait. Bearded reedling (Panurus biarmicus) cast against the setting mid-winter sun. (Photo by Markus Varesvuo/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Twilight by Markus Varesvuo, Kuusamo, Finland. Best portfolio winner in the creative imagery category. A black-and-white study of the great grey owl (Strix nebulosa) in twilight of northeast Finland. (Photo by Markus Varesvuo/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Barn owl hunting by house by Jamie Hall, Suffolk, England. Gold award winner in the birds in the garden category. A barn owl (Tyto alba) hunts for vole and rats against the photographer’s patio light. (Photo by Jamie Hall/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Andean condor in flight over mountain peaks by Ben Hall, UK. Gold award winner in the birds in the environment category. An Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) circles the thermals looking for prey in its dramatic habitat of Torres del Paine national park, Chile. (Photo by Ben Hall/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Wing Formation by Tom Hines, UK. Gold award winner in the attention to detail category. Detail of great cormorant wing (Phalacrocorax carbo) in Hyde Park, London. (Photo by Tom Hines/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





The speculum by Georgina Steytler. Australia. Gold award winner in the creative imagery category. A Pacific black duck (Anas superciliosa) shows its iridescent speculum feathers in Garvey Park, Perth, Western Australia. “I took this photo at a small lake. The still waters and the dark foliage of the background resulted in an opportunity to highlight the gorgeous feathers. I exaggerated the effect in Adobe Lightroom (and cropped), but otherwise have not altered the original photo”. (Photo by Georgina Steytler/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Calling for the Sun by Ondrej Pelanek, Czech Republic. Gold award winner, Young Bird Photographer of the Year. A whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybrida) in wetlands in Hungary. (Photo by Ondrej Pelanek/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Catch of the day by Vince Burton, UK. Winner of the Nature Photographers Ltd people’s choice award. Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) in Suffolk, England. “The Kingfisher caught this fish by spearing it with its beak. It flew to a nearby branch, threw back its head and tossed the fish into the air, before catching it again”. (Photo by Vince Burton/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Camouflage by Daniel Stenberg, Sweden. Honourable mention, birds in the environment category. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), central Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Daniel Stenberg/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Goosander and brood by Jonathan Gaunt, UK. Category: bird behaviour. A female goosander (Mergus merganser) on an upland stream with her newly hatched brood, on the edge of the Cheviot Hills in Northumberland. (Photo by Jonathan Gaunt/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Daily basket by Ionel Onofras, Romania. Category: best portrait. Great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) Danube delta, Romania. (Photo by Ionel Onofras/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





The battle by Jose Garcia, US. Category: bird behaviour. A great white heron (Ardea herodias occidentalis) fighting a green snake in the Florida Everglades. The fight lasted for nearly 20 minutes with the heron having to release its prey. (Photo by Jose Garcia/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Grey heron, Ahmad Alessa, Kuwait. Silver award winner in the attention to detail category. Gray heron (Ardea cinerea) in Hungary. (Photo by Ahmad Al-essa/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Full speed by Faisal Alnomas, Kuwait. Category: bird behaviour. A little greater crested tern (Thalasseus bergii) runs at full speed to get his meal, Kuwait. (Photo by Faisal ALnomas/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)





Barn owl hovering by Roy Rimmer, UK. Category: bird behaviour. Barn owl (Tyto alba), Wigan, UK. (Photo by Roy Rimmer/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards)