Gerrit Vyn / Western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) in breeding (alternate) plumage, Malheur County, Oregon, USA September

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

Steve Gettle / Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) male swimming, Lapeer State Game Area, Michigan

Steve Gettle / Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) male flying, Island Lake Recreation Area, Michigan

Steve Gettle / Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) male in breeding plumage, Lapeer State Game Area, Michigan

Steve Gettle / Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) male in breeding plumage, Lapeer State Game Area, Michigan

Steve Gettle / Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) male flying, Lapeer State Game Area, Michigan

Richard Du Toit / Long-tailed Widow (Euplectes progne) male in breeding plumage, South Africa

Donald M. Jones / Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) mother carrying newborn chick, central Montana

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) male in breeding plumage on pond, Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay, California

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) drake in breeding plumage calling, Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay, California

Jim Brandenburg / Common Loon (Gavia immer) swimming, Minnesota

Scott Leslie / American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) male in breeding plumage, Nova Scotia, Canada

Tom Vezo / Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) male, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) male, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tim Fitzharris / American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) wading through shallow water, North America

Tim Fitzharris / Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) adult in breeding plumage, North America

Tim Fitzharris / Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) adult in breeding plumage standing in golden-colored water, North America

Michael Quinton / Common Loon (Gavia immer) parent on nest with one day old chick in the summer, Wyoming

Michael Quinton / Common Loon (Gavia immer) adult on lake in the summer, Wyoming

Richard Du Toit / Red-collared Widowbird (Euplectes ardens) male in breeding plumage, Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Common Murre (Uria aalge) breeding colony along coast, South Farallon Islands, Farallon Islands, Farallon National Wildlife Refuge, California

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) nesting colony near research station, South Farallon Islands, Farallon Islands, Farallon National Wildlife Refuge, California

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) incubating on nest with research sign stating the nesting pattern of this individual, South Farallon Islands, Farallon Islands, Farallon National Wildlife Refuge, Cal...

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) male displaying, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley, San Francisco Bay, California

Ingo Arndt / Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) in breeding plumage, Alaska

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) males fighting at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male displaying at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male displaying at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male displaying at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) male displaying, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

Winfried Wisniewski / Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) male displaying, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male molting into breeding plumage, Biebrza National Park, Poland

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male displaying at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male flying, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male flying at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male displaying at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male displaying at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) males fighting at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male flying, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) males fighting at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) males fighting at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male in breeding plumage at lek, Varanger Peninsula, Norway

Winfried Wisniewski / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) males fighting at lek, Varanger Peninsula,Norway

Scott Leslie / Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) male in breeding plumage, Canada

Scott Leslie / Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) male in breeding plumage, Canada

Scott Leslie / Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) male in breeding plumage, Canada

Scott Leslie / Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) male in breeding plumage, Canada

Scott Leslie / Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) male in breeding plumage, Canada

Scott Leslie / Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) male in breeding plumage, Canada

Scott Leslie / Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) in breeding plumage, Canada

Scott Leslie / Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) in breeding plumage, Canada

Scott Leslie / White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) calling during breeding season, Canada

Martin Willis / Hooded Plover (Thinornis rubricollis) in breeding plumage, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria, Australia

Martin Willis / Hooded Plover (Thinornis rubricollis) in breeding plumage, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria, Australia

Tom Vezo / Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) in breeding plumage, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Tom Vezo / Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) on nest, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) on nest, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) on nest, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) male, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) male, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) male with chicks on nest, Saskatchewan, Canada

Tom Vezo / Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) male with chick on nest, Saskatchewan, Canada

Tom Vezo / Great Egret (Ardea alba) displaying during courtship in breeding plumage, Florida

Tom Vezo / Great Egret (Ardea alba) pair in nest, Florida

Tom Vezo / Great Egret (Ardea alba) displaying during courtship in breeding plumage, Florida

Tom Vezo / Great Egret (Ardea alba) pair in nest in breeding plumage, Florida

Tom Vezo / Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) parent in nest with chicks, Venice Rookery, Florida

Tom Vezo / Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) on nest, Venice Rookery, Florida

Tom Vezo / Common Loon (Gavia immer) on nest, British Columbia, Canada

Tom Vezo / Common Loon (Gavia immer) on nest, British Columbia, Canada

Tom Vezo / Common Loon (Gavia immer) on nest, British Columbia, Canada

Richard Du Toit / Long-tailed Widow (Euplectes progne) male displaying showing long tail feathers, Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa

Gerrit Vyn / Western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) in breeding (alternate) plumage, Malheur County, Oregon, USA September.

Gerrit Vyn / Western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) in breeding (alternate) plumage, Malheur County, Oregon, USA September.

Gerrit Vyn / Sanderling (Calidris alba) in breeding (alternate) plumage incubating eggs at nest, Bathurst Island, Nunavut, Canada, June

Donald M. Jones / Common Loon (Gavia immer) in breeding plumage, Troy, Montana

Donald M. Jones / Common Loon (Gavia immer) pair in breeding plumage, Troy, Montana

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

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

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

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

Donald M. Jones / Common Loon (Gavia immer) swimming with chick, Troy, Montana

Jonathan Harrod / Spotted Shag (Phalacrocorax punctatus) on nest, Kaikoura, New Zealand

Jonathan Harrod / Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) in breeding plumage, Christchurch, New Zealand

Jonathan Harrod / Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) with chick on its back, Lake Alexandrina, New Zealand

Jonathan Harrod / Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in breeding plumage, Lake Alexandrina, New Zealand

Jonathan Harrod / Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) on nest, Lake Alexandrina, New Zealand

Jonathan Harrod / Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) on nest, Lake Alexandrina, New Zealand