A particularly large social weaver bird nest growing in a dead acacia tree, NamibRand, Namib Desert, Namibia, Africa

A particularly large social weaver bird nest growing in a dead acacia tree, NamibRand, Namib Desert, Namibia, Africa

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) exiting a small pond with its huge wings extended to create the energy to lift with a large fish, Pirkanmaa, Finland, Scandinavia, Europe

Juvenile goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) about to use its large talons to hold down a red squirrel in the snow, Taiga Forest, Finland, Scandinavia, Europe

Placa de Catalunya, a large public square in the city centre of Barcelona, Catalonia (Catalunya), Spain, Europe

Ostrich (Struthio camelus), Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape, South Africa

Waved albatross (Diomedea irrorata) egg, Espanola Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, South America

Female Harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), feeding her four month old chick, Alta Floresta, Amazon, Brazil, South America

Female Harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), feeding her four month old chick, Alta Floresta, Amazon, Brazil, South America

White rhino (Ceratotherium simum), with redbilled oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus), Royal Hlane National Park, Swaziland, Africa

Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) large tyrant flycatcher, common in the southern Americas, Esperanza, Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

One Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae), standing on a green lawn, a large goose resident in southern Australia, Pacific

Great White Egret (Ardea alba aka Common Egret or Large Egret), Tarcoles River, Carara National Park, Costa Rica, Central America

The Bird Geoglyph, aerial view, Nazca, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ica Region, Peru, South America

The Condor Geoglyph, aerial view, Nazca, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ica Region, Peru, South America

Several kea, a large alpine parrot, chewing on car in Arthur's Pass, Canterbury Region, South Island, New Zealand, Pacific

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) at waterhole, Nxai Pan National Park, Botswana, Africa

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) at sunset, Nxai Pan National Park, Botswana, Africa

Yellow-footed gull (Larus livens), on its nest on Isla Coronado, Baja California Sur, Sea of Cortez, Mexico, North America

Multi-storey birdhouse towers, selective focus, India, Asia

Black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophrys) breeding colony on Carcass Island in the Falkland Islands

Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori ) flying, Chobe River, Botswana

A white bird stands in the water next to a cluster of large rocks in Nara, Honshu, Japan, Asia

African elephant (Loxodonta africana) and springboks (Antidorcas marsupialis) at waterhole, Nxai Pan National Park, Botswana, Africa

Eared grebes (Podiceps nigricollis), in Puerto Refugio, Angel de la Guarda Island, Baja California, Sea of Cortez, Mexico, North America

Great kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) a large colorful tyrant flycatcher, common in the Pacific North, Esperanza, Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

The Heron Geoglyph, aerial view, Nazca, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ica Region, Peru, South America

Large raft of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua), group feeding at Booth Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

The Humming Bird Geoglyph, aerial view, Nazca, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ica Region, Peru, South America

Large flock of seagulls at Olympic National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Washington State, United States of America, North America

Female mallard and ducklings on the edge of Lusiai Lake at Paluse, Aukstaitija National Park, Lithuania, Europe

Adult large-billed tern (Phaetusa simple), in flight on the Rio Tres Irmao, Mata Grosso, Pantanal, Brazil, South America

The Enchanted Highway, a collection of large scrap metal sculptures constructed at intervals along a two-lane highway, North Dakota, United States of America, North America

Researcher Susan Bird swimming with a small pod of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) underwater off the coast of Roseau, Dominica, Windward Islands, West Indies, Caribbean, Central America

Grey Francolin Partridges, Francolinus pondicerianus, in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Black Winged Stilts, Himantopus himantopus, in water hole at Kutalpura Village in Rajasthan, Northern India

Red Wattled Lapwing, Vanellus indicus, bird in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Cattle egret bird (Bubulcus ibis) in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Indian Black Kite raptor bird, Milvus Migrans, in the sky above Lake Pichola in first light of early morning, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

Female Mallard duck, Anas platyrhynchos, with young ducklings in a stream in The Cotswolds, UK

Peacock, national bird of India, Indian Pavo, in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Red-Legged Partridge hen (French Partridge) Alectoris rufa, with newborn chicks, one under wing, The Cotswolds, UK

Indian Rufous Treepie, Dendrocitta vagabunda, bird in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, UK

Black swan, Cygnus atratus, with red beak in North Norfolk, UK

Indian Black Kite raptor bird, Milvus Migrans, in the sky above Lake Pichola in first light of early morning, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

Male mute swan, Cygnus olor, known as a cob, in Southrop in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, UK

Female Mallard duck, Anas platyrhynchos, with young ducklings in a stream in The Cotswolds, UK

Female Mallard duck, Anas platyrhynchos, with young ducklings in a stream in The Cotswolds, UK

Common myna bird, Acridotheres tristis, in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Peacock, national bird of India, in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Brown Pelican, Islamorada, Florida Keys, USA

Great Blue Heron in flight, Everglades, Florida, United States of America

Emu, Northern Territory, Red Centre, Australia

Great Blue Heron on Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

White stork (Ciconia ciconia), a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae, in captivity, United Kingdom, Europe

Black-Headed Ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus, feeding in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Cattle egret bird (Bubulcus ibis) in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Peacock, national bird of India, Indian Pavo, in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Indian Stone Plover bird, Burhinus oedicnemus indicus, in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

White-Breasted Kingfisher bird, Halcyon smyrnensis, in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, UK

Black-Headed Ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus, feeding in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Indian Rufous Treepie, Dendrocitta vagabunda, bird in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Black-Headed Ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus, pair feeding in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, UK

Indian Stone Plover bird, Burhinus oedicnemus indicus, in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, UK

Male pheasant, Cotswolds, England

An emu roaming in the Australian bush.

Black-Headed Ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus, in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, Northern India

Bass Rock, large gannet (Sula bassana) colony of around 80000 nests, near North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe

Cormorants perched on branches at Bharatphur Nature Reserve - a hunting reserve fo Bharatpur's Maharajas.

King penguins (aptenodytes patagonicus) right whale bay, south georgia, large group huddled together in snowy terrain

Toco toucan (ramphastos toco) close,up of head and beak, captive, brazil

Red,breasted toucan (ramphastos dicolorus) close,up view, captive, brazil.

Toco toucan (ramphastos toco) close,up showing head and beak, captive, brazil.

Toco toucan (ramphastos toco) close,up of head showing blue eyering, captive, brazil.

Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) large group on iceberg, Yalour Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Toco toucan (ramphastos toco) close,up of head showing colours and blue eyering, captive, brazil.

Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, on tree branch in the Florida Everglades, United States of America

American White Ibis, Eudocimus albus, large bird with long curved bill, on Captiva Island, Florida USA

The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a large owl of the typical owl family Strigidae, United Kingdom, Europe

Malachite kingfisher (alcedo cristata) shire river, malawi, perched on reed.

Toco toucan (ramphastos toco) iguacu, brazil

Toco toucan (ramphastos toco) close,up of head showing colours and blue eyering, captive, brazil.

Red,breasted toucan (ramphastos dicolorus) close,up showing head and beak, captive, brazil.

Pied kingfisher (ceryle rudis) shire river, malawi.

A Wandering Albatross; Diomedea exulans, the bird with the largest wing span on the planet, at around 11 feet 6 inches, flying in the Drake Passage, Sub-Antarctic.

Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, a large shorebird roosting on a pole at Captiva Island, Florida, USA

Large bull Southern Elephant Seal; Mirounga leonina, fighting at Gold Harbour, South Georgia, Antarctica, in a King Penguin colony.

King penguins (aptenodytes patagonicus) right whale bay, south georgia, large group in snowy landscape

Great Egret in wetlands swamp in the Florida Everglades, United States of America

Green kingfisher (chloroceryle americana) perched on branch, pantanal, brazil.

Snow (Anser caerulescens) and Ross's geese, large flock in winter, at Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico, United States of America, North America

King penguins (aptenodytes patagonicus) right whale bay, south georgia, large group in snowy landscape

The Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It has the largest wingspan of any landbird (at least 3.5m). Here you see it by a lake on Kagera National Park, Rwanda. Kagera National Park, Rwanda, East Africa

Ostrich eggs in an incubator, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

A mute swan at Lake Windermere in Ambleside, Lake District, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Adult Southern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) in the Falkland Islands. This is the smallest yellow-crested, black-and-white penguin in the genus Eudyptes. It reaches a length of 45-58 cm (18-23 in) and typically weighs 2-3.4 kg (4.4-7.5 lb), although there are records of exceptionally large rockhoppers weighing 5 kg (11 lbs). Their common name refers to the fact that unlike many other penguins which negotiate obstacles by sliding on their bellies or by awkward climbing using their flipper-like wings as aid, Rockhoppers will try to jump over boulders and across cracks. This behavior is by no means unique to this species however - at least the other "crested" penguins of the genus Eudyptes hop around rocks too. Southern Rockhopper Penguins have a global population of roughly 1 million pairs, perhaps a bit more. About two-thirds of the global population belongs to E. c. chrysocome which breeds on the Falkland Islands and on islands off Argentina and southern Chile. The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is classified as Vulnerable species by the IUCN.