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A bird looks for insects while standing on the head of a female deer in Richmond Park, west of London on October 1, 2023. The deer mating season, also known as the rut, takes place in the autumn and the red stags and fallow bucks compete for females. In the lead up to the rut, there are a number of physiological changes to male deer including an increase of testosterone, the doubling of neck thickness, the larynx becoming more prominent and the tongue changing shape. Roars are used as the first line of defence as a way to deter rivals. A deeper louder roar signals a larger animal. The sound of a roar can help rival stags determine from a distance whether to try their luck, and females can use it to judge the best quality males in the area. Richmond Park and Bushy Park are home to over 1,000 free roaming red and fallow deer. (Photo by Adrian Dennis/AFP Photo)
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