Wildlife

Little Stint, Calidris minuta, small wader not much bigger than a sparrow, adult in worn winter plumage, on wintering grounds on shores of River Nile, Egypt

Close up of this dimunutive wader, that is regularly seen in Britain, particularly juveniles in the autumn.

American Robin, Turdus migratorius, beak, food, green caterpillars, worms, insects, yellow bill, short grass, food for nestlings, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

Adult collecting food for young.

Waved Albatross, Diomedea irrorata, close up of head, black eye, large heavy yellow beak, nostrils, Hood (Española), Galapagos islands.

Head study of this fascinating species.

Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata magnificens, male, displaying, inflated red throat pouch, hooked bill, dark eye, North Seymour, Galapagos islands

Close up of displaying male.

Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata magnificens, male displaying, inflated red throat patch, dark brown eye, hooked beak, wings held upwards, green feather sheen.North Seymour, Galapagos islands.

Close up a displaying male.

Canyon Tree Frogs, Hyla arenicolor, six frogs, bare sandstone rock, adaptations to arid conditions and high temperatures, Zion National Park, Utah

A group of frogs on a rock.

Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata magnificens, inflated red throat pouch, head back, brown eye, hooked bill, green sheen on feathers, wings held up, North Seymour, Galapagos islands

Close up of displaying male.

Golden Plover, Pluvialis apricaria, feathers, contour, shafts, black, grey, white, gold, spots, melanin coverts, neck, wing, wader, dead bird, in Iceland

Close up of the plumage of a dead Golden Plover.

White Stork, Ciconia ciconia, adult in long grass, wild flowers, feeding, long red beak, long red legs, Bulgaria

Adult bird feeding in long grass.

Ground Hornbill, Bocorvus leadbeateri, large black bird of Africa, found on savannah, pale blue eye, pupil, bare skin, pink, long black eyelashes, eyelids, feathers, acts as sunshade, sunglasses, captive bird

A close up of the eye of a Ground Hornbill with long gorgeous black eyelashes and bright pink bare skin, no need for mascara.

Black Bear, Ursus Americanus, cinnamon colour, west, short thick fur, large nose, small brown eyes, round ears, Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Canada

A close up of the head of the cinnamon coloured race of the Black Bear found in the western parts of North America.

Heliodoxa jacula, perched bird on small branch, wonderful colours, long slightly decurved beak.Montverde, Costa Rica.

Shows colours of species well high-light in eye.

Tawny Owl, Strix aluco, close up of eye, black iris, yellow beak, facial disc, down feathers

Close up of face of Tawny Owl.

Western Bluebird, Sialia Mexicana, spectacular blue and chestnut orange colours, Bryce Canyon National Park, USA

Bird perched on end of dead branch, facing left.

Coypu or Nutria, Myocastor coypus, in French ragondin, introduced into France in 19th century for its fur, escaped lives in fresh water, abundant in the Camargue National Park, a pest, large burrows in mud banks, eats roots, stabilizing banks, causes floods, now exterminated from England, was a pest in The Norfolk Broads, long whiskers, orange teeth enamel, webbed feet, long strong claws

A coypu sitting in shallow water.

Polar Bear, taken from Tundra Buggy, large, huge feet, snow, tundra, small ears, black nose, black eyes, near Churchill , Manitoba, Canada

A large male Polar Bear photographed from the safety of a Tundra Buggy near Churchill on the Hudson Bay.

Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatorola, medium large wader, large black eye, short stout bill, winter plumage, long legs, breeds n low tundra, winters around coasts, on muddy estuaries such as the Dee, the Ribble and The Wash

Close up a Grey Plover in winter.

Humpback whale, Magaptera novaeangliae, tail flukes, water streaming off tail, last sight before diving, blue water, white water splashes, Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Tail flukes showing before a deep dive.

Purple Sandpiper, Calidris maritima, medium-sized stocky wader, slightly decurved bill streaks on head and neck, scaly back with white and rusty marks, breed in high Arctic, most winter on rocky coasts, but some found on piers, breakwaters, on traditional wintering spots

Close up of this tame wader that overwinters in the UK.

Blue Whale, Balaenoptera musculus, baleen group, tail flukes, deep dive, mist islands and hills, bright blue sea, early morning, Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Tail flukes in a blue panarama.

African Elephant, Loxodonta Africana, close up of wrinkled skin, red mud, interesting patterns and textures, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Texture of elephant skin.

Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, large Garfish, caught, holding in beak, hooked bill, brilliant blue eye, marbled pattern on fish, swimming, clear blue water, ripples, reflections, body submerged, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA

A Double-crested Cormorant holding a very large Garfish in its beak.

Tawny Owl. Strix aluco, close up of head, yellow hooked beak, large eyes, black iris, feathers.

A side on photograph of oqls head.

Bighorn Sheep, Ovis canadensis, lamb, eating green grass, close up of head and shoulders, small horns just appearing on top of head, Yellowstone National Park

This was taken in a roadside meadow near Tower Falls, near Mammoth, normally the species is found on steep rocky slopes but when food is short they venture onto grassy meadows.

House Martin, Delichon urbica, breeds in colonies in mud nests, in villages and towns, often thought as a sign of good luck when they nest on your house, winters in Africa, summer visitor to Britain

Birds collecting mud from the Cefni Estuary, Malltraeth, Anglesey.

Two Sperm Whales, Physeter macrohalus, blowing, bushy rising to about 2 meters at sharp angle to the left, blowhole to left, largest of toothed whales, triangular dorsal hump, Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Two Sperm whales spouting at the same time.

Northern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis, birds squabbling for fish scraps at factory outflow in Iceland

A group of Fulmars fighting for scraps of food.

Northern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis, birds fighting for scraps of fish at an outflow from fish factory at Grudarfjordur, Snaefellsnes peninsular, Iceland

A group of hungry seabirds fighting for scraps of food.

European Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis, Adult, red face, gold wing bar, sharp pointed pink beak, black and white head, seed feeder, thistles, comes to bird feeders, garden, niger seed, flocks in winter, on snow laden branch, Fairburn Ings RSPB Reserve, Yorkshire

A close up of this attractive species on a snow covered Hawthorn branch, a typical winter scene.

Common Merganser or Goosander, Mergus merganser, immature, preening on lake coloured golden by the reflection of autumnal grasses, String Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Atmospheric shot of a preening bird on lake.

White-headed Capuchin, Cebus capuchinus, Tiskita Forest, Costa Rica, eating fruit, spitting out stone, tongue out

Monkey, looking upwards, stone falling, uneaten fruit.

Herd of Bison bison, grazing Antelope Flats, Grand Teton, Wyoming, backdrop of the spectacular mountain range, sage grasslands

A small herd of Bison in the dramatic landscape of this wonderful National Park.

Bison bison, young calf, ginger coat, big black eyes, small horns showing, in long golden grass, Grand Teton National park, Wyoming

Young Bison taken in the fall, numbers of species is now increasing in the location where the last few remained after the slaughter by Buffalo Bill and others.

European Pond Tortoise, Terrapin or Turtle swimming, head above water, flattened shell, broad clawed webbed feet, common reptile of southern Europe, in Parc Nacional Monfrague, Extredumura, Spain

Terrapin swimming in a lake.

Waved Albatross, Diomedea irrorata, pair greeting, large yellow bills, dark eyes, white head, Hood (Española), Galapagos islands.

Close up of a pair of Albatross.

White Stork, Ciconia ciconia, about to land on edge of lake, long red beak and legs, wings out, primary feathers visible on both wings, Extramedura, Spain

Bird about to land.

Horse, head, chestnut, eye, dark brown, eyelids, eyelashes, bright, alert, excellent condition, showjumping, Anglesey Show

A close up of the eye of an alert horse.

Galapagos Land Iguana, Conolophus subcristatus, head, forelegs, large claws, small eye, short crest, scales, Isabela Island, Galapagos islands

Close up of this rare lizard.

Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata magnificens, male on nest, head held up, wings back, large inflated red throat patch, on Dwarf Palo Santa Tree, Bursera malacophylla, North Seymour, Galapagos islands

Displaying male Magnificent Frigatebird on nest.

Single Canyon Tree Frog, Hyla arenicolor, on sandstone, strata, red colours, adaptions to dry and hot environment, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

Unusual arid conditions for an amphibian.

Gray Whale, Eschrichtius robustus, close encounters for whale watchers from a boat, on breeding grounds in Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico, whale just a few metres from people

Tourists enjoying close views of an inquisitive Gray Whale.

Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaengliae, close up of head with two blow holes, barnacles on top of body and head, Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico

Close up of one of this impressive mammal.

Orange-winged Parrot, Amazona Amazonica, captured, wild bird, two young boys, pet, common species as a pet, no shoes standing in wet ground, Nariva Swamp, Trinidad

Two youngsters with a pet parrot.

Whooper Swan, Cygnus cygnus, large, white, yellow and black beak, weed, water, feather, evening light, setting sun, reflections, wintering grounds, breed in Northern Europe and Iceland, migrate, traditional wintering sites, Martin Mere, Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust, near Ormskirk

A single Whooper Swan feeding on weed in late evening golden light with reflections on dark water.

Cook's tree Boa, Corallus cookii, coiled, asleep, on branches of mangrove, constrictor, lives on small mammals, amphibians and birds, common inhabitant of mangrove swamps, seen from one of the tourist boats, Caroni Swamp, Trinidad

Resting snake coiled in a manngrove swamp.

Whooper Swans, Cygnus cygnus, preening, late afternoon, setting sun, red reflections on water, long elegant necks, sinuous, sweeping shapes, winter, migration, movements, traditional grounds, Martin Mere, Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust, Ormskirk

A pair of Whooper Swans preening in late afternnon on water coloured red by the setting sun, elegant sweeping shapes.

Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus amphibius, pod, Zambezi River, sunset, heads, shadows, ears, profile, wide river, hills in background in Zambia, colours reflected in water, taken from Zimbabwe side. Africa.

A group of Hippos in the Zambezi River at sunset, Zimbabwe.

Bison bison, American Buffalo, herd, sage brush, plain, grazing, mountains, blue sky, white cumulus clouds, open country, dominated by mountains, Grand Tetons National Park, Wyoming, USA

Herd of bison grazing on sage plains with the spectacular paeks of the Grand Tetons in the background.

Gloucester Old-spot Pigs, piglets suckling from sow

Young piglets of this rare breed.

Whooper Swan, Cygnus cygnus, pair, large swans, white, black and yellow beak, long elegant necks, late afternoon, setting sun, red reflections on ripples, two Common coot, winter in UK, migrate, movements, Iceland, traditional sites, Martin Mere, Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust, Lancashire

Two swans on water coloured red by refelactions of setting sun, Ormskirk, Lancashire.

Anhinga, American Darter, Snake-bird, Anhinga Anhinga, swimming in water, head and neck above water, body below surface, water lilies, mangroves, Nariva Swamp, Trinidad

bird typical of still waters looking for food.

Common Teal, Anas crecca, male, swimming, water, reflections, white stripe on side, chestnut head, purple sheen on stripe around eye, common in winter, numbers increase with birds from the continent, Martin Mere, Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust

A well plumaged male swimming with good reflections, photographed on wintering grounds in Lancashire.

Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula, Brachypelina smithi, Vista Conchita, Costa Rica, venomous but docile spider, tame

Large docile spider, lives in burrows found in Central America, feeds on small invertebrates.

Blue Whale, Balaenoptera musculus, tail flukes, streams of water, blue water, flukes appear above water as the whale takes a deep dive which can last as long as twenty minutes, Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Water pouring off tail flukes as the animal dives.

Radio transmitter, monitoring movements, migration, research, antenna, small white box, winter in the UK, breed on pools in tundra of northern Europe and Iceland, Martin Mere, Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust

Small transmitter attached to the back of a wintering Whooper Swan in Lancashire.

Northern Pintail, Anas acuta, drake, male, elongated tail feathers, winter visitor to UK, migratory, elegant, head chocolate brown, beak shiny grey, mud on beak, long pointed feathers, webbed feet, ring on right leg, migration studies, Martin Mere, Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust

A study of an elegant male Pintail on wintering grounds in Lancashire.

Stripeless tree Frog, Hyla meridionalis, green camouflaged with leaf, black band on side of head through ear and over ear drum, heard more than seen, Tirant Marsh, Menorca, Spain

Sperm Whale, Physeter macrocephalus, tail slapping, may be aggressive behaviour by young males, unusual behaviour, on breeding grounds, Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Part of display behaviour

Scarlet Ibis, Eudocimus ruber, feeding on mud bank, swamp, mangroves, Caroni Swamp, Trinidad

Birds feeding on a mud bank.

Black-browed Albatross, Diomedea melanophris, on mud nest, black and white, large yellow orange beak, incubating, Saunders Island, Falklands

Albatross on nest.

Bison bison, American buffalo, grazing, herd, large males, flat sage plains, peaks, small glaciers, blue sky, white cumulus clouds, endangered species, recovered from small numbers after mass killing, dramatic backdrop, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA

Herd of Bison grazing on sage flats with superb backdrop of the dramatic peaks of the Grand Teton mountains.

West Indian Manatee, Trichechus manatus, nostrils above water, small eyes, ripples, largest member of order Sirenia, inhabitant of tropical waters, winters in Florida often in water warmed by power stations, found in Nariva swamp, Trinidad

Aquatic mammal coming up for air.

Elk, Cervus canadensis, Wapiti, herd, grass, sage plains, harem, fall, mating, rutting, large dominant male, small glaciers, mountain peaks, blue sky, spectacular peaks, southern end, Rocky Mountains, Grand Tetons National Park, Wyoming, USA

Distant herd of elk on plains beneath the dramatic peaks of the Grand Tetons mountain range.

Hermann's Tortoise, western subspecies, Testudo hermanni hermanni, young very small , newly hatched, reptile, against human finger, showing head legs, scales, shell, Minorca, Spain

A newly hatched Hermann's Tortoise against human fingers to illustrate small size.

Crimson Rosella, Platycercus elegans, common, adult, crimson with blue cheeks, shoulders and tail, inhabits rain forests, eucalypt forests, feed on seeds in trees and on ground, O'Reilly's rain forest lodge, Lamington National Park, Queensland Australia

A brightly coloured Crimson Rosella feeding on the ground in Queensland Australia.

Arctic Hare, Lepus arcticus, eating tundra vegetation, close up of head, white coat, whiskers, long fur, black ear tips, near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Close up of head.

Australian Brush-Turkey, Alectura lathami, large black fowl, tail flattened sideways, bare red head and neck, large yellow wattle, pronounced in breeding male, lives in undergrowth of rain forests, strong feet and claws, roosts during heat of day, builds huge nest of dead leaves and vegetation, up to 4 metres wide and up to 2 metres high, often shy and secretive, restricted to forests of eastern Australia, Lamington National Park Queensland

A photograph of a large black turkey like bird that inhabits the tropical rainforests of Queensland and easten states of Australia.

Arctic Hare, Lepus arcticus, stretching long front legs, sheltering behind a rock, long white fur, black tips to ears, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Hare sheltering from strong wind behind a rock.

Australian King Parrot, Alisterus scapularis, male, brilliant scarlet head and body, dark green wings, dark blue tail, bill red above, black below, yellow eye, , feeds on fruit blossom, can become tame, inhabits rain forests, restricted to eastern coastal mountains of Australia, Lamington National Park, Queensland. Australia.

A colourful male King Parrot perched on thin branch.

Arctic Hare, Lepus arcticus, sheltering from wind behind large rock, ears flattened, looking a little timid, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Animal sideways on sheltering out of the strong wind.

Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus, very colourful large lorikeet, scarlet bill, blue head, orange breast, green wings, yellow-green nape, adult, on twig with orange-yellow blossom, Common, in extreme west and north of Australia, inhabits rain forests, woodlands, nectar feeder, fruit raider, loquats, pears etc. Lamington National Park, Queensland.

A very colourful lorikeet living up to its name of rainbow perched on a branch with orange-yellow blossom.

California Gull, Larus californicus, adult, dark eye, red orbital ring, western areas of USA, Utah state bird, ate locusts that damaged Mormon settlers crops, Great Salt Lake

Utah's State bird beloved by the early Mormon settlers.

Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber, black and pink shapes, ten birds in formation, over Etang du Vaccares, Camargue, France

Birds flying against a clear blue sky.

Scarlet Macaw, Ara macao, large conspicuous parrot, huge beak, bare skin around a small eye, mostly scarlet, lower back blue, wings dark blue with bright yellow coverts, popular pet, found in Central America to Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, some recent sightings in Trinidad where it used to occur, re-introduction programme in parts of Costa Rica

Close up of this large parrot.

Scarlet Macaw, Ara macao, large spectacular parrot, popular as a pet, preening, large powerful beak, found in Central and Southern America, very rare in Trinidad, some attempts to re-introduce the species, Costa Rica

A preening parrot.

Long-eared owl, Asio otus, feathered ear tufts, facial disc bright piercing orange eyes, looking at camera, autumn leaves,

Photograph taken at a daytime roost in Hungary.

Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaeanglae, tail flukes, black and white patches on underside, pattern used as a way to identify individuals, barnacles on outside edge, about to dive last between 3 to 9 minutes, Iceland

Distingtive pattern on tail flukes.

Australian King-Parrot, Alisterus scapularis, male red head , breast and belly, dark green wings, dark tail, yellow eye, red upper manible, black lower mandible, feeding from hand, seed, inhabits rain forests, tame, colourful, visitor attraction, O'Reilly's Rainforest Lodge, Queensland, Australia

A fine male King-Parrot taking fod from a hand whilst perched on the wrist.

Gentoo penguins, Pygoscelis papua, nests, pebbles, incubating eggs, edge of sea, small patch of snow, mud, puddles, large vertebra of a baleen whale spattered with pink droppings, coloured by food items, strange nesting site, Aitcho Island, Antarctica

Gentoo penguins nesting alongside a huge whale vertebra.

Crocodylus acutus, mouth open, showing teeth, on river bank, Rio Torcales, Cuba, endangered species

Animal facing right, head and front legs.

Weddell Seal skeleton, on black sand and pebbles, spine, flippers, ribs, South Shetland islands, Antarctica

Well cleaned skeleton on pebbles.

Scarlet Ibis, Eudocimus ruber, feeding on mud flats, long bills and legs, wonderful colour, mangroves swamp, Snowy Egret in background, plastic chair, pollution, Waterloo, Caroni Swamp, Trinidad,

A spectacular species that is much sought after by birdwatchers.

Penguin feathers, Pygoscelis species, moulted, on tide line, against black volcanic sand, Ferraz, King George Island, Antarctica

Moulted penguin feathers on the tide line against black volcanic sand.

West Indian Manatee, Trichechus manutus, largest member of Order Sirenia, found throughout the Caribbean in quiet waters and swamps, some overwinter in Florida in rivers with hot springs or warm water from power stations, endangered, frequently injured by the propellers of boats

Manatee breathing near the surface.

Boy, Orange-winged Parrot, Amazona Amazonica, perched on finger, trapped, pet, wings clipped, Nariva Swamp, Trinidad

Parrots often trapped as pets.

Brown Skua, Caratharacta lonnbergi, at waters edge, southern oceans, piratical species, amongst four large whale vertebrae, stones, reflections, ripples on water, Aitcho Island, Antarctica

Brown Skua standing in water close to four large whale bones.

Anhinga, Darter or Snake-bird, Anhinga Anhinga, fish in beak, amongst reeds, found in Central and South America, Caribbean, in lakes, inland water, swamps and mangroves, Nariva Swamp, Trinidad

Darter with large fish in beak.

Gentoo Penguins, Pygoscelis papua, nests, mounds of small pebbles, four birds, incubating, shelter of two very large whale vertebrae, bones, baleen whale, black and white birds, red beaks, edge of sea, patch of snow, unusual nest site, pink droppings coloured by krill, shrimps and other crustaceans, Aitcho Island, Antarctica

Gentoo Penguin nests in the shelter of very large whale bones.

Lady, star of film, "Lady of the Lake", slowly walking, tail held high, Rhantambhore National Park, Rajasthan, India

Tigress walking slowly to camers.

Tigress Lady, star of film "Lady of the Lake", Rhantambhore, India

Tigress close up looking left into distance.

Whale bones, jaw bone, a vertebra, rib, cleaned of flesh, old, bleached, lying on black volcanic sand, black round pebbles, near Whaling Station on Deception Island, Antarctica

Whale bones on black volcanic sand.

Young White Storks, Ciconia ciconia, one bird stretching wings, large untidy nest on small pylon, Bulgaria

Well fledgen young in a nest.

White Storks, Ciconia ciconia, young, one flapping wings, one small lying in nest, weak and feeble, large untidy nest on electric pylon, Bulgaria

Youngster testing its wings.

Scarlet Ibis, Eudocimus ruber, roosting at sundown in mangroves, an avian spectacular, safe haven in middle of swamp, Caroni Swamp, Trinidad

Red birds against pale sky and green trees.

Common, Gray or Lesser Potoo, Nyctibius griseus, hunts insects at night, roosts in daytime, looks like dead stump, Caroni Swamp, Trinidad, a good place to see it, here roosts in mangrove trees, exceptional camouflage makes it difficult to see, haunting mournful call of five descending notes, gives it Trinidadian name of "Poor-me-one"

A close up of this strange looking species.

Sign on van, report polar bears, Churchill, Manitoba, dangerous animals, keep them out of town

Sign on side of a truck.

Wolf, Canis lupus, black colour, watching distant Elk herd, Cervus canadensis, sage brush country, Baseline Flats, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Lone Wolf standing amongst Sage watching Elk on the horizon.

Common, Gray or Lesser Potoo, Nyctibius griseus, wonderful camouflage, like a dead tree stump, nocturnal, hunts insects at night, lowland forests, cocoa estates, savannahs and mangrove swamps, seen at daytime roosts in Caroni Swamp, Trinidad

A strtange looking relative of the nightjars.

A darted Polar Bear, outskirts of Churchill, Manitoba, dangerous, near town, off to jail until ice appears

Bear with a tranquillising dart in front left leg.

Water Buffalo, Black Vultures on head and back of buffalo, in water, ranch fenced, cross breeding with Brahmin cows to produce hybrid vigour, Aripo Cattle Research Station, Trinidad

A collection of Water Buffalo in a pool.