Adult king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) amongst chicks at breeding colony at Gold Harbour, South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Antarctic shag (Phalacrocorax atriceps bransfieldensis), in flight with nesting material in its beak at Jougla Point, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Couple of Great black-backed gulls in the cliffs of Etretat, Seine Maritime department, Normandy region, France, Europe

Adult black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) in flight near Alexander Island in Franz Josef Land, Russia, Arctic Ocean, Eurasia

Adult black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) in flight near Alexander Island in Franz Josef Land, Russia, Eurasia

Adult black noddy (Anous minutus) breeding site on Boatswain Bird Island just off Ascension island, South Atlantic Ocean

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) detail at breeding and nesting colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophrys) chick on the nest at nesting site on New Island, Falklands, South America

Nesting Red-legged Cormorant (Poikilocarbo gaimardi) with chicks, Ballestas Islands, Paracas, Peru, South America

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) adult with chicks at breeding colony on Damoy Point, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) chick in the nest in the Galapagos Island Archipelago, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ecuador, South America

Antarctic shag (Phalacrocorax (atriceps) bransfieldensis) at nesting site amongst gentoo penguins at Jougla Point, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adult upland goose pair (Chloephaga picta) with goslings on Carcass Island in the Falkland Islands

Adult rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) at breeding and molting colony on New Island, Falkland Islands

Adult Imperial Shag (Phalacrocorax (atriceps) atriceps) exhibiting intense breeding plumage, New Island, Falkland Islands

Adult dovekies (Little Auk) (Alle alle) at their breeding site amongst scree slopes at Rubini Rock, Tikhaya Bay, Hooker Island, Franz Josef Land, Russia, Arctic Ocean, Eurasia

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica), mating at breeding colony on Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Nazca booby (Sula grantii) downy chick stretching its wings to gather strength for flight in the Galapagos Islands, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ecuador, South America

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) adult and chick at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) nesting colony almost buried by snow during snow storm at Brown Bluff, Antarctica, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Nesting puffin pair, United Kingdom, Europe

Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), in snow storm at breeding colony at Brown Bluff, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Blue-footed boobies (Sula nebouxii), on a small islet near Isla Salsipuedes, Baja California, Sea of Cortez, Mexico, North America

Pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura), male in breeding plumage, South Africa, Africa

Female mute swan, Cygnus olor, and her cygnet in Southrop in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, UK

Female mute swan, Cygnus olor, and her cygnet in Southrop in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, UK

Female mute swan, Cygnus olor, and her cygnet in Southrop in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, UK

Female mallard duck with new ducklings, Anas platyrhynchos, strolling on garden patio in springtime at Swinbrook, the Cotswolds, UK

Mallard duckling among daisies in meadow in The Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom

Female Canada Goose, Branta canadensis, with young goslings, on River Windrush at Swinbrook, the Cotswolds, UK

Female mallard duck with new ducklings, Anas platyrhynchos, on a stream in springtime at Swinbrook, the Cotswolds, UK

Mallard duck with her ducklings, Cotswolds, England

Mallard duck with her twelve ducklings, Oxfordshire, England

Mallard ducklings, Cotswolds, England

Mallard ducklings just two days old, Cotswolds, England

One living and one dead Blue-footed Booby bird on the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Mallard duck and drake with their ducklings

Mallard ducklings just a few days old, Swinbrook, Oxfordshire, England

Blue-footed Booby bird on the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador sheltering young chicks

Mallard duck with her twelve ducklings in an English country garden

Mallard ducklings just one day old

Blue-footed Booby bird on the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador sheltering young birds

A Light Mantled Albatross, or Light Mantled Sooty Albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata, on South Georgia, on nesting cliffs at Grytviken.

A Wandering Albatross; Diomedea exulans, the bird with the largest wing span on the planet, at around 11 feet 6 inches, nesting on Prion Island, South Georgia, Southern Ocean.

A Wandering Albatross; Diomedea exulans, the bird with the largest wing span on the planet, at around 11 feet 6 inches, nesting on Prion Island, South Georgia, Southern Ocean.

On Friday 11th July 2014, the Young Ospreys that nest on Bassenthwaite in the Lake District National Park, Cumbria, UK, are ringed and fitted with a satelite tracker. they are ringed by Pete Davis, a licensed bird ringer, and the satelite tracker is fitred by Roy Dennis. Roy is theonly person in the UK, licensed to fit satelite trackers to birds of prey. The tracing is part of the Bassenthwaite Osprey project, to see whereabouts in Africa the young migrate to, before returning hopefully to the UK to nest.Ospreys recolonized the Lake district in 2001, after an absence ovf over 150 years. In the last fourteen years of breeding over half a million people have visited the project to view these spectacular fish eating birds.

On Friday 11th July 2014, the Young Ospreys that nest on Bassenthwaite in the Lake District National Park, Cumbria, UK, are ringed and fitted with a satelite tracker. they are ringed by Pete Davis, a licensed bird ringer, and the satelite tracker is fitred by Roy Dennis. Roy is theonly person in the UK, licensed to fit satelite trackers to birds of prey. The tracing is part of the Bassenthwaite Osprey project, to see whereabouts in Africa the young migrate to, before returning hopefully to the UK to nest.Ospreys recolonized the Lake district in 2001, after an absence ovf over 150 years. In the last fourteen years of breeding over half a million people have visited the project to view these spectacular fish eating birds.

On Friday 11th July 2014, the Young Ospreys that nest on Bassenthwaite in the Lake District National Park, Cumbria, UK, are ringed and fitted with a satelite tracker. they are ringed by Pete Davis, a licensed bird ringer, and the satelite tracker is fitred by Roy Dennis. Roy is theonly person in the UK, licensed to fit satelite trackers to birds of prey. The tracing is part of the Bassenthwaite Osprey project, to see whereabouts in Africa the young migrate to, before returning hopefully to the UK to nest.Ospreys recolonized the Lake district in 2001, after an absence ovf over 150 years. In the last fourteen years of breeding over half a million people have visited the project to view these spectacular fish eating birds.

On Friday 11th July 2014, the Young Ospreys that nest on Bassenthwaite in the Lake District National Park, Cumbria, UK, are ringed and fitted with a satelite tracker. they are ringed by Pete Davis, a licensed bird ringer, and the satelite tracker is fitred by Roy Dennis. Roy is theonly person in the UK, licensed to fit satelite trackers to birds of prey. The tracing is part of the Bassenthwaite Osprey project, to see whereabouts in Africa the young migrate to, before returning hopefully to the UK to nest.Ospreys recolonized the Lake district in 2001, after an absence ovf over 150 years. In the last fourteen years of breeding over half a million people have visited the project to view these spectacular fish eating birds.

King Penguins on Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, with passengers from an expedition cruise.

A Light Mantled Albatross, or Light Mantled Sooty Albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata, on South Georgia, on nesting cliffs at Grytviken.

King Penguins in the world's second largest King Penguin colony on Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Southern Ocean.

Snowy egret (egretta thula) florida, usa, standing in water, feathers ruffled, showing red facial colour of breeding adult

King Penguins on Prion Island, South Georgia, Southern Ocean.

Mute Swan, Hoeckerschwan, Cygnus olor, breeding, Switzerland

A Light Mantled Albatross, or Light Mantled Sooty Albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata, on South Georgia, on nesting cliffs at Grytviken, calling to its mate.

Mute Swan, Hoeckerschwan, Cygnus olor, breeding, Switzerland

A Light Mantled Albatross, or Light Mantled Sooty Albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata, on South Georgia, on nesting cliffs at Grytviken.

King Penguins in the world's second largest King Penguin colony on Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Southern Ocean.

A King Penguin sleeping in the world's second largest King Penguin colony on Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Southern Ocean.

King Penguins head out to sea on a fishing trip past ice at Gold Harbour, South Georgia, Southern Ocean.

King Penguins at Gold Harbour, South Georgia, with passengers from an expedition cruise.

King Penguins at Gold Harbour, South Georgia, Southern Ocean.

King Penguins in the world's second largest King Penguin colony on Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Southern Ocean.

Mute Swan, Hoeckerschwan, Cygnus olor, Switzerland

Mute Swan, Hoeckerschwan, Cygnus olor, breeding, Switzerland

King Penguins at Gold Harbour, South Georgia, with passengers from an expedition cruise.

Mute Swan, Hoeckerschwan, Cygnus olor, breeding, Switzerland

Mute Swan, Hoeckerschwan, Cygnus olor, breeding, Switzerland

Mute Swan, Hoeckerschwan, Cygnus olor, breeding, Switzerland

Newly hatched blue tit chicks and adult in a nestbox

Male Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) in breeding plumage (note the red gular pouch) on North Seymour Island in the Galapagos Island Archipelago, Ecuador

Male Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) in breeding plumage (note the red gular pouch) on North Seymour Island in the Galapagos Island Archipelago, Ecuador

Male Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) in breeding plumage (note the red gular pouch) on North Seymour Island in the Galapagos Island Archipelago, Ecuador

Adult pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) in breeding plumage with a capelin in its beak in Chatham Strait, Southeast Alaska, USA, Pacific Ocean.

Male great frigatebird (Fregata minor) in breeding plumage in the Galapagos Island Archipelago, Ecuador

Adult male common eider duck (Somateria mollissima) in breeding plumage in the Svalbard Archipelago in the Barents Sea, Norway

Adult female Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) in full breeding plumage in the calm waters of Red Bluff Bay, Southeastern Alaska, USA

Male Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) in breeding plumage (note the red gular pouch) on Genovesa (Tower) Island, in the Galapagos Island Archipelago, Ecuador

Male Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) in breeding plumage (note the red gular pouch) on Genovesa (Tower) Island, in the Galapagos Island Archipelago, Ecuador

Male Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) in breeding plumage (note the red gular pouch) on Genovesa (Tower) Island, in the Galapagos Island Archipelago, Ecuador

An adult Galapagos dove (Zenaida galapagoensis) in beautiful breeding plumage on Espanola Island in the Galapagois Island Archipelago, Ecuador, Pacific Ocean

Adult male common eider duck (Somateria mollissima) in breeding plumage in the Svalbard Archipelago in the Barents Sea, Norway

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) chick head detail at colony on Useful Island near the Antarctic Peninsula. There are an estimated 2 million breeding pairs of chinstrap penguins in the Antarctic peninsula region alone, perhaps as many as 7.5 million breeding pairs in all of Antarctica. Their name derives from the narrow black band under their heads which makes it appear as if they are wearing black helmets, making them one of the most easily identified types of penguin. Other names for them are "Ringed Penguins", "Bearded Penguins", and "Stonecracker Penguins" due to their harsh call. They grow to 68 cm (27 in). The average adult weight of a Chinstrap Penguin is 4.5 kg (10 lbs). Weight can range from 3 to 6 kg (6.6-13.2 lbs), with males being slightly larger and weight varying based on where the penguin is in the breeding cycle. Their diet consists of krill, shrimp, and fish. On land they build circular nests from stones, and lay two eggs, which are incubated by both the male and the female for shifts of five to ten days. They can also breed on icebergs, though they prefer non-icy conditions. The chicks hatch after about 35 days, and have fluffy gray backs and white fronts. The chicks stay in the nest for 20?30 days before they go to join a creche. At around 50?60 days old, they moult, gaining their adult plumage and go to sea. The Chinstrap Penguin was first described by German naturalist Forster in 1781. Its specific epithet was often seen as antarctica, however a 2002 review determined the genus Pygoscelis was masculine, and hence the correct binomial name is Pygoscelis antarcticus.

Wild Adult Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata), Colony, In breeding plumage, Bering Islands (Bering sea), Russia, Asia.

Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) close-up in the Galapagos Island Group, Ecuador. The Galapagos are a nesting and breeding area for blue-footed boobies.

A pair of adult Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) in full breeding plumage in the calm waters of Red Bluff Bay, Southeastern Alaska, USA

Adult male common eider duck (Somateria mollissima) in breeding plumage in the Svalbard Archipelago in the Barents Sea, Norway

Adult double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) in Magdalena Bay between Isla Magdalena and the Baja Peninsula, Baja California Sur, Mexico

White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) nesting on electricity pylons in the Coto Donana in Andalucia, Spain.

Adult Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) in full breeding plumage in the calm waters of Red Bluff Bay, Southeastern Alaska, USA

Adult Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus ostralegus) in full breeding plumage at Isfjardardjup, Northwestern Iceland

Adult long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) in breeding plumage in the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway

Adult female common merganser (Mergus merganser) in breeding plumage in Gambier Bay on Admiralty Island, Southeastern Alaska, USA. Pacific Ocean.

Adult male Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) in full breeding plumage in the calm waters of Red Bluff Bay, Southeastern Alaska, USA

Adult male common merganser (Mergus merganser) in breeding plumage taking flight in Gambier Bay on Admiralty Island, Southeastern Alaska, USA

Adult common teal (Anas crecca) in full breeding plumage in the calm waters of Lake Myvatn, Iceland

Adult red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) in breeding plumage on Flatey Island in Iceland