Tony Phelps / Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) Immature male hunting in thorn bush above deHoop Vlei, Western Cape, South Africa, December

Alan Watson / Baobab tree (Adansonia rubrostipa) and Sogno (Didierea madagascariensis) in spiny forest, Reniala Reserve, Madagascar

Robin Chittenden / Great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) perched in thorny bush. Cyprus. April.

Frederique Olivier / Close-up of an African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) feeding, stripping vegetation from an Acacia tree with its trunk, Serengeti NP, Tanzania.

Frederique Olivier / African bush elephants (Loxodonta africana) feeding, stripping vegetation from an Acacia tree with its trunk, Serengeti NP, Tanzania.

Graham Eaton / Female Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) with grub perched on stem. Pwllheli, Wales, UK. July.

Nick Upton / Dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) female peering from a dead Gorse bush, Bicton Common, Exmouth, Devon, UK, June.

Cyril Ruoso / Malagasy spiny bush (Euphorbia stenoclata) close up of spines/thorns, Berenty reserve, Madagascar

Ann & Steve Toon / Young male impala (Aepyceros melampus) behind acacia bush, Pilanesberg game reserve, North West province, South Africa, February

Charlie Summers / Marico Flycatcher (Bradornis mariquensis) perched in a thorn bush, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa.

Eric Baccega / African elephant (Loxodonta africana) feeding on acacia thorn bush, Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, Africa.

Eric Baccega / African elephant (Loxodonta africana) feeding on acacia thorn bush, Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, Africa.

Eric Baccega / African elephant (Loxodonta africana) feeding on acacia thorn bush, Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, Africa.

Eric Baccega / African elephant (Loxodonta africana) feeding on acacia thorn bush, Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, Africa.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Widstr / Crown of Thorns (Paliurus spina-christi) bush, grazed by Fallow deer (Dama dama) Studen Kladenets reserve, Eastern Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, May 2013.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Widstr / Crown of Thorns (Paliurus spina-christi) bush, grazed by Fallow deer (Dama dama) Studen Kladenets reserve, Eastern Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, May 2013.

Duncan Usher / Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) feeding on impaled European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) prey on thorn bush branch, Germany

Duncan Usher / Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) feeding on impaled mouse prey on thorn bush branch, Germany

Duncan Usher / Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) with impaled mouse prey on thorn bush branch, Germany

Charlie Summers / Greater kestrel (Falco rupicoloides) perched in the top of a thorn bush, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, March

Charlie Summers / Lesser kestrels (Falco Naumanni) perched in a thorn bush, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, February

Charlie Summers / Common roller (Coracias garrulus) landing in the top of a thorn bush with a grasshopper in its bill, Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Tim Laman / Southern yellow-billed hornbill (Tockus leucomelas) perched on thorn bush. Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Vincent Grafhorst / Cobra (Naja sp), Deception Valley, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana

David Welling / Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) female singing on thorn bush, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA

Roger Powell / Rear view of a male Yellowhammer {Emberiza citrinella} perching in Thorn bush, winter, Northumberland, UK

Jane Burton / Seven-spot Ladybirds (Coccinella 7-punctata) hibernating on thorn bush, UK.

Phil Savoie / Acacia ant {Pseudomyrmex sp} on Bull thorn acacia spine. Symbiosis, Central America

Mitsuhiko Imamori / Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria) group on thorn bush, Africa

Pete Oxford / Devil thorn bush {Tribulus terrestris} flowering in sand Skeleton coast, Namibia

Pete Oxford / Devil thorn bush {Tribulus terrestris} in flower with seal bones in sand nearby, Skeleton coast, Namibia

Andrew Parkinson / Kirk's dik dik in thorn bush {Madoqua kirki} Etosha NP, Namibia

Pete Oxford / Devil thorn bush {Tribulus terrestris} flowering in sand Skeleton coast, Namibia

Tui De Roy / Darwin's small ground finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) feeding on nectar from Prosopis thorn bush (Prosopis sp.) in arid coastal vegetation, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos Islands.

Tui De Roy / Darwin's small ground finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) feeding on nectar from Prosopis thorn bush (Prosopis sp.) in arid coastal vegetation, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos Islands.

Tui De Roy / Darwin's grey warbler finch (Certhidea fusca) feeding on nectar from Prosopis thorn bush (Prosopis sp.) flower in arid coastal vegetation, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos Islands.

Claudio Contreras / Baja elephant tree (Pachycormus discolor) with Coronado Island beyond. Bahia de los Angeles Biosphere Reserve, Sea of Cortez, Mexico. April.

Claudio Contreras / Ocotillo bush (Fouquieria splendens) with Coronado Island beyond. Bahia de los Angeles Biosphere Reserve, Sea of Cortez, Mexico. April.

Nick Garbutt / Black-chested snake eagle (Circaetus pectoralis) perched on top of thorn bush, near Ndutu, Ngorongoro Conservation Area / Serengeti National Park boundary, northern Tanzania.

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), female, eating mouse on thorn bush. Germany. July.

Neil Aldridge / African red-eyed bulbul (Pycnonotus nigricans) perched on acacia bush (Acacia) and vocalising before flying from perch and leaving frame after Burchell's starling (Lamprotornis australis) flies into f...

Robin Chittenden / Cetti's warbler (Cettia cetti) perched on thorny branch, Thorpe Marshes Norwich UK, April.

Dave Watts / Prickly box (Bursaria spinosa). Tasmania, Australia. December.