From nesting flamingos to hunting owls to a snake-wrestling heron, photographers from around the world captured a variety of winged wonder in this selection of images from the Bird Photographer of the Year competition, which recently announced its winners. The flamingo image won top honors, including a prize of £5,000 ($6,475).

"The standard of photography was extremely high and myself and the other judges were treated to some fantastic bird photographs," says Chris Packham, head judge on the panel of experts, "but congratulations must go to Alejandro Prieto Rojas for his sublime image of flamingos, an incredible balance of colour, composition and emotion.”

The second annual contest, which is run jointly by Nature Photographers Ltd and the British Trust for Ornithology, recognizes