John Chan / Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) chicks stretching and flapping their wings, Southern California, USA, May.

Russell Cooper / Mandarin duck drake (Aix galericulata) from behind flapping its wings. Southwest London, UK. February.

Marion Vollborn/ BIA / Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) group taking flight on snow, Hokkaido, Japan

Sue Flood / Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) chick flapping wings, Snow Hill Island rookery, Weddell Sea, Antarctica. November.

Donald M. Jones / Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) in defensive display, Yaak, Montana

Donald M. Jones / Common Loon (Gavia immer) stretching, Troy, Montana

Ingo Arndt / Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) leaving water after successfully catching a fish, Hessen, Germany, sequence 9/9

Ingo Arndt / Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) diving into water to catch a fish, Hessen, Germany, sequence 7/9

Ralf Kistowski/ BIA / Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) parent spreading wings near fledgling, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) flapping with sand eels in beak, in evening light, Fair Isle, Shetland, Scotland, UK, June.

Thomas Hinsche/ BIA / Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) male flapping, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Thomas Hinsche / Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) male in terriorial display, Texel, Netherlands