A Dead Leaf butterfly (Kallima inachu formosana, also called Orange Oakleaf Butterfly) rests on a tree trunk at the Taipei Zoo in Taipei, Tawian, 03 August 2019. Dead Leaf butterfly can be found in Tropical Asia from India to Japan. When its wings close, it resembles a dead leaf, providing camouflage against predators including birds, ants, spiders and wasps. (Photo by David Chang/EPA/EFE)

A gannet grabs a fish by its beak, 2014, in Shetland, Scotland. Hundreds of gannets crash into the sea in search of food – leaving a trail of air bubbles in their wake. Richard Shucksmith, 41, on the Shetland Isles, Scotland captured the remarkable scene as he took a boat to feed the large colony of seabirds that nested on the cliffs. The photographer has taken images of the gannets every summer for the last three years as the birds gather on the cliffs to breed. (Photo by Richard Shucksmith/Barcroft media)

Grand title winner: Environmental photographer of the year. The Bitter Death Of Birds by Mehdi Mohebi Pour. This photo shows the efforts of the environmental forces to collect the bodies and prevent the spread of this disease. The Miankaleh wetland is being destroyed by changes in the climate and it is my duty as a photographer to highlight these problems and create a record for history. I want to prevent the complete destruction of the wetland and the potential environmental disaster by showing the issues and threats to these beautiful natural places. (Photo by Mehdi Mohebi Pour/Environmental Photographer of the Year)

German photographer Tanja Brandt has created a series which captures the absolutely heart-breaking friendship between Ingo, her two-year-old German Shepherd, and a tiny owl called Napoleon. "Ingo is not always the calmest dog, however when he is around the birds, and particularly Napoleon, he is very soft and gentle", said the photographer. "He seems very at peace with them".

Many people have seen feathers as decorative items before. Today, ostrich, peacock and bird of paradise feathers can be seen in haute couture and in the costumes of indigenous peoples. They can be colorful and spectacular in their own right, but how much more stunning might they be when used as canvases for artists, eager to demonstrate their talent for the unusual? Alaskan-born and -bred artist Julie Thompson is an astounding exponent of this incredible art form.

A kingfisher dives into the leafy water of the River Alde near Rendham, Suffolk in the second decade of November 2022 and catches two fish. Kingfishers must be able to see the fish they want to catch before making their dive, so for this bird to be successful when leaves covered the surface of the water shows its true skill for survival. (Photo by Ivor Ottley/Animal News Agency)

This photograph taken on February 18,2023 shows Asriyanti Iskandar, a member of the Kuala Lumpur Freefly group kissing her Sun Conure parrot during a free-flight session in Bangi, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. The group organises events on public holidays and weekends to share knowledge of their experiences of free-flight training with fellow bird enthusiasts. (Photo by Mohd Rasfan/AFP Photo)

A sick California sea lion with possible domoic acid poisoning is rescued to be evaluated by volunteers from CIMWI (Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute) in Santa Barbara, California, on March 25, 2025. Over a hundred sea lions, dolphins and other marine mammals, including birds, have been sickened by domoic acid poisoning from algal blooms in Southern California since February, US media reported. (Photo by David Swanson/AFP Photo)