Marie Read / Common redpoll (Carduelis flammea), male perched in alder (Alnus rugosa) during a snowstorm in winter, New York, USA, January.

Kerstin Hinze / Red crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) feeding from a spruce cone, Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany, October.

Donald M. Jones / Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) on pine cone flakes, western Montana

Jack Dykinga / Agave (Agave utahensis) close up of spines with Pinyon pine cone (Pinus edulis) wedged amongst them. Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona, USA

Ingo Arndt / Red squirrel feeding on fir cone {Sciurus vulgaris} Germany

Ingo Arndt / Red squirrel feeding on fir cone {Sciurus vulgaris} Germany

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Red Squirrel (Scuirus vulgaris) feeding sitting pine cone covered forest floor, Cairngorms National Park, Highlands, Scotland, UK

Alan Murphy/ BIA / Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) male, Alaska

Alan Murphy/ BIA / Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) female, Alaska

Alan Murphy/ BIA / Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) in pine, Alaska

Alan Murphy / Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) during snowfall, Alaska

Alan Murphy / Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea), Alaska