Michel Roggo / Perch (Perca fluviatilis). Juktan river, tributary of Umeälven river, Lapland, Sweden, July.

Fergus Gill / 2020VISION / Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) Perching on a snow covered branch. Perthshire, Scotland.

Roy Mangersnes / Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) perched on dead pine tree, Southern Norway, December

Kerstin Hinze / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) perched in tree, Bavarian Forest National Park, Bavaria, Germany

Pete Oxford / Caribbean Parakeet or Brown-throated Parakeet (Aratinga pertinax xanthogenia) Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean

Loic Poidevin / Row of Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) perched on wire. The Vendeen Marsh, French Atlantic Coast, November.

Loic Poidevin / Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) perched on a branch in snow. Breton Marsh, French Atlantic Coast, March.

Loic Poidevin / Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus) perched on mossy branch. Breton Marsh, French Atlantic Coast, November.

Konrad Wothe / Magnificent riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus) male perched in rainforest, Iron Range National Park, Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland, Australia, November

Alan Williams / Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) perched on rock on shore, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK, May

Andy Rouse / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) newly fledged young on perch. Dyfi Estuary, Wales, August. It is the first time ospreys have bred at this location for 400 years.

Ernie Janes / House sparrows (Passer domesticus) perched on building, Morocco, March

Fabrice Cahez / Male Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) perched on Oil seed rape (Brassica napus) in a field, Vosges, France, April

Andrew Parkinson / Sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) singing portrait, Saltee Islands, Republic of Ireland, May.

Andrew Parkinson / Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) perched on frost covered branches, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK, December.

Andrew Parkinson / Siskin (Carduelis spinus) male peched on an alder branch, Rothiemurchus Forest, Scotland, UK, April.

Andrew Parkinson / Robin (Erithacus rubecula) perched on frost covered branches, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK, December.

Sandesh Kadur / Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) roosting on electric lines along Highway 77, Brownsville, Texas, USA. March

Grzegorz Lesniewski / Ural Owl (Strix uralensis) perched. Bieszczady National Park, the Carpathians, Poland, December.

Laurent Geslin / Silhouette of three Pied crows {Corvus albus} perched in tree, Ethiopia, February

Klaus Echle / Stockdove (Columba oenas) shadow on the trunk of beech tree. Black Forest, Germany, April.

Colin Varndell / Robin (Erithacus rubecula) perched on garden spade handle. Dorset, UK, February.

Bence Mate / Green crowned brilliant hummingbird (Heliodoxa jacula) male taking off to feed at feeder in garden, another waiting perched on lichen covered branch, Costa Rica, January. Winner, Eric Hosking award at...

Markus Varesvuo / Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) perched on snowy tree in front of the moon. Kuusamo, Finland, February.

Markus Varesvuo / Crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) perched on frosted twig. Posio, Finland, January.

Ben Hall / Red grouse (Lagopus lagopus) perched on granite boulder, Dark Peak, Peak District NP, Derbyshire, UK, September 2010, Highly Commended, Habitat category, British Wildlife Phototgraphy Awards (BWPA) co...

Fabrice Cahez / Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) rear view perching on fence post with tail feathers spread. Vosges, France, January.

Lassi Rautiainen / Common raven (Corvus corax) perched in snow beside birch tree, Finland, March

Andy Rouse / Little Owl (Athene noctua) perched on farm roof. Wales, UK, June.

Kim Taylor / European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) perched on a twig against a white background. UK, September.

Florian Möllers / Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) captive, female, perched above Alexanderplatz, Berlin, Germany, November

Florian Möllers / Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) captive, female, perched at sunset with view over Berlin, Germany, November.

Florian Möllers / Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) male perched in urban wasteland at Berlin Central Station, Germany, June 2008

Markus Varesvuo / Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) feeding on seed head, Finland, October

Pete Oxford / Brown-chested martins (Progne tapera) roosting on telegraph wires, Puerto Lopez, Santa Elena Peninsula, Manabi Province, Ecuador

Barrie Britton / Male Vogelkop bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata) inspects the decorations outside his bower. Vogelkop Peninsula, West Papua, Indonesia. Picture taken during filming for BBC "Life" TV Series, September 20...

Barrie Britton / Male Vogelkop bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata) outside his decorated bower. Vogelkop Peninsula, West Papua, Indonesia. Picture taken during filming for BBC "Life" TV Series, September 2008

David Welling / Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) male perched on Cattail, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, USA, June

Ernie Janes / Farmyard chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) free range, mixed breed, two perched on tractor bonnet, Norfolk, UK. Property released

Ernie Janes / Farmyard chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) free range, mixed breed, perched on fence, Norfolk, UK. Property released

Markus Varesvuo / Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) perched on snow covered Rowan branch (Sorbus sp.) with berries, Kuusamo, Finland, January. No promotion or advertising use in Finland 1st April 2014 to 31st March 2016.

Markus Varesvuo / Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus) perched on snow covered pine tree, Kuusamo, Finland, February

Markus Varesvuo / Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) male perched on branch, Finland May

David Tipling / Pied wagtails (Motacilla alba yarrellii) silhouetted against the moon, roosting in tree in shopping centre. Kent, UK, December

Laurent Geslin / Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) perching on the wheel of a shopping trolley in the heart of a city.

Andrew Parkinson / Small flock of Waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus) perched on a house TV aerial. Nottinghamshire, UK, January. (non-ex)

Michel Poinsignon / Eagle owl (Bubo bubo) adult perched on branch close to cliff, Luxembourg, February

Bence Mate / Three Brown-hooded Parrots (Pyrilia haematotis) one taking off from branch, in the rain Laguna del Lagarto, Santa Rita, Costa Rica

Roger Powell / Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) male perched on a favourite stone, and calling at lek, Castro Verde, Portugal, April

Roger Powell / Male Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) perched on a boulder surveying its display area Castro Verde, Portugal, April

Dave Bevan / Little owl (Athene noctua) perched on post at dusk, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK, Captive

Marie Read / Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) male perched by clinging between two cattail stems in marsh, Mono Lake Basin, California, USA

Billy Black / Gull (Larinae) sitting on mooring ball in calm waters on misty day. Robinhood, Maine, USA, July 2010.

Guy Edwardes / Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus) preening feathers, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa February

Guy Edwardes / Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) with wing raised as a threat to nearby rival. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa, February

David Kjaer / Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly (Boloria euphrosyne) at rest on Bracken with wings open, Bentley Wood, Wiltshire, England, UK

Anup Shah / Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) head portrait of male, with Cattle egret on its back (Bubulcus ibis). Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. February.

Roy Mangersnes / Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) balancing on rye stem, Norway. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Animal Portraits - Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010

Fergus Gill / Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) feeding on Rowan berries (Sorbus hupehensis) in winter, Perthshire, Scotland. WINNER: Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010

Stephen Dalton / Greater kestrel (Falco rupicoloides) perched on telegraph pole, South Africa

David Tipling / Flock of Rooks (Corvus frugilegus) sitting on telephone wires, at pre-roost gathering in winter, Buckenham, Norfolk, England

Niall Benvie / A pair of Ravens (Corvus corax) perched in bleached out pine tree, Estonia, March 2008

David Kjaer / Male American robin (Turdus migratorius) puffed up to keep warm, and perched on Juniper branch, Kentucky, USA

LYNN M. STONE / Female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) perched on branch in snow storm, Illinois, USA

Gary K. Smith / Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus rubicola) male perched on barbed wire, Norfolk, UK, January

Anup Shah / Lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudata) perched on the back of a Common zebra (Equus quagga). Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. December

Stephen Dalton / Hedgesparrow / Dunnock (Prunella modularis)feeding European cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) in oak tree, UK

Paul Hobson / Long-eared owl (Asio otus) on tree stump, sillhouette in moonlight, captive, Yorkshire, UK

Patricio Robles Gil / Common peafowl {Pavo cristatus} silhouetted male peacock perched in tree in early morning mist, Royal Chitwan NP, Nepal

Sven Zacek / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) perched in boreal forest, Estonia. Digital composite

Sven Zacek / Snowy owl (Bubo scandiaca) perched on tree stump, in snow, Ontario, Canada.

Sven Zacek / Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) male perched on a branch, Estonia

Dave Bevan / Long eared owl (Asio otus) perched on fence post, head cocked on one side, Wales, UK, captive

Dave Bevan / Long eared owl (Asio otus) perched on post, shaking wings in rain, Wales, UK, captive

Chris Gomersall / Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) sub-adult in winter snow shower, captive bird, Speyside, Scotland, February

Andrew Walmsley / Male House sparrow (Passer domesticus) peched on a fallen Fir tree in heavy rain, Christchurch, New Zealand, March

Roy Mangersnes / Snowy Sheathbill (Chionis albus) perched on iceberg, near Useful Island, Antarctica. November.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Roggo / Male Pikeperch / Zander (Stizostedion / Sander lucioperca) defending nest, calm part of the Rhine, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Roggo / Male Zander / Pikeperch (Stizostedion / Sander lucioperca) defending nest, with Chub (Leuciscus cephalus) in the distance, calm part of the Rhine, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, May 2009

David Tipling / Barn Owl {Tyto alba} perched on public footpath signpost, Cley, North Norfolk, UK, December

Andy Rouse / Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus) perched in snow, Wales, UK, January

Matthew Maran / Indian rhinoceros {Rhinoceros unicornis} with Mynahs {Acridotheres sp} perched along its back, Kaziranga NP, Asam, India

Andy Rouse / Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus) perched in snow, Wales, UK, January

Michael Hutchinson / Feral pigeon / rock dove (Columba livia) perched on top of Empire State Building with view of Manhattan below, New York City, USA

Michael Hutchinson / Feral pigeon / rock dove (Columba livia) perched on top of Empire State Building with view of Manhattan below, New York City, USA

Andy Sands / Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) in full song on dead Elm twig, Hertfordshire, England, UK.

Tim Laman / Espanola (Hood) mockingbird (Nesomimus macdonaldi) standing on a Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), Espanola Island (Hood Island), Galapagos Islands.

David Kjaer / Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) pair mating, Buckinghamshire, England

Patricio Robles Gil / Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambelii) adult perched atop a blooming cactus, El Pinacate/Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve, Sonora, Mexico

Tom Vezo / Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) male, portrait, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) male perched on a branch, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) juvenile male perched on a branch, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) male perched on a branch, Texas

Paul Hobson / Redpoll {Carduelis flammea} male in spring blossom, southern Yorkshire, UK.

Colin Varndell / Willow warbler {Phylloscopus trochilus} portrait. UK.

Pete Cairns / Spotted flycatcher {Muscicapa striata} in spring, Cairngorms, Scotland.