Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs in April2012

 e Indian pittas breeds mainly in the sub-Himalayas and winter in southern India and Sri Lanka. This stunning photo was taken in Yala National Park (Sri Lanka).

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Advances in digital photography have given us the opportunity to capture the beauty and freedom of birds in the wild like never before. In January 2011, the Wild Bird Trust set up a Facebook page with the intention of celebrating free flight and birds in the wild from around the world. Here are the “Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs of the Week” drawn from thousands of photographs submitted to the Wild Bird Trust. Each week we select from all the photographs submitted and from our archives. Almost 18,000 photographs from over 100 photographers from around the world have been emailed to us or posted on our Facebook wall so far… Celebrate the freedom and splendor of birds in the wild with us and stimulate positive change by sharing how beautiful the birds of the world really are with the world…

Please join the Wild Bird Trust page on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to receive all wild bird photo updates and join the Wild Bird Revolution. Submit your own photos and become part of this important public awareness campaign to bring the magic of wild birds to the world. Prepare to be blown away every week…

Ahhhh... the awesome and spectacular lilac-breasted roller! This ever present aerial insectivore is my nominee for Africa's most photographed bird. (Anja Denker)

Juvenile Malachite kingfisher perched at the ready... The first year is the toughest year for any species. This little guy will have to prove him or herself many, many times this year. (Louis Groenewald)

The spot-billed duck is also known as the "Spotbill", is a dabbling duck that breeds in tropical and eastern Asia. These were photographed in Mysore (India) (Ragoo Rao)

The black-browed albatross is the most widespread and common albatross. A stunning action shot! (Trevor Hardaker)

Indian pittas breeds mainly in the sub-Himalayas and winter in southern India and Sri Lanka. This stunning photo was taken in Yala National Park (Sri Lanka) (Adam Riley / www.rockjumperbirding.com)

African fish Eagles making more African fish eagles... The males become highly territorial during the breeding season and will attack any large raptor in the vicinity. (Jason GW Wharam)

Atlantic Puffins are often referred to as as '"clowns of the ocean" and "sea parrots". Photographed on Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire (Wales). (Suranjan Mukherjee)

Cape Parrot taking off into an uncertain future. We seem to have managed to get through the recent disease outbreak, but numbers are still dangerously low with few breeding females remaining. (Rodnick Biljon)

Colibri (Amazilia fimbriata) is a little-known hummingburd found in Colombia. (Jesús Matos)

Collared Trogon is found in the warmer parts of the Neotropics. These colorful birds nest in holes excavated in termite nests or natural cavities in trees. (Ronald Krieger)

Red kite is a rare species which is resident in the milder parts of its range in western Europe and northwest Africa. Here photographed in flight in Pembrokeshire (Wales, UK) (Suranjan Mukherjee)

Pin-tailed whydah displaying in front of an apparently receptive female. They will mate, she will lay the eggs in the nest of another bird species, and neither will have anything to do with raising their offspring. Why did they evolve this behavior? (Herman van der Hart)

Wrens are small and rather inconspicuous, but are still favorites of local birders. Here with nest-building material... (Staffordshire, UK) (Suranjan Mukherjee)

The Serendib Scops Owl is the most recently discovered bird of Sri Lanka. Identified for the first time in 2001 and described in 2004. (Adam Riley / www.rockjumperbirding.com)

The Cape robin-chat is a resident breeder in southern and eastern Africa from Kenya south to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland. (Trevor Hardaker / www.hardaker.co.za)

My nominee for Africa's most photographed bird, the lilac-breasted roller. Breathtaking every time and worthy of two spots in this week's "Top 25" (Anja Denker)

Goldfinches breed across Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia, in open, partially wooded lowlands. (Staffordshire, UK) (Suranjan Mukherjee)

Resplendnet Quetzl is Guatemala's national bird and plays an important role in Mesoamerican mythologies. (Joel Delgado)

Rufous piculet is a little-known bird found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Photographed here in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve (Borneo). (Adam Riley / www.rockjumperbirding.com)

Rueppell's parrots are found in harsh, arid environments and are able to breed in winter when no other cavity-nesting bird species are able to...? Photographed in Omaruru (Namibia) (Adam Riley / www.rockjumperbirding.com)

Scaly-breasted Munia looks alert in the wilds of Sigiriya (Sri Lanka). These little birds breed well in captivity and have thus been the subject of many experiments... (Adam Riley / www.rockjumperbirding.com)

Rosy-faced lovebirds sharing a moment in the Erongo Mountains (Namibia). Allo-preening is an important social interaction for most parrots, functioning to reinforce pair bonds. (Adam Riley / www.rockjumperbirding.com)

Spangle-cheeked Tanager tanager is an endemic resident breeder in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. (Joel Delgado)

African shoebill's are being exterminated throughout their range by nest poaching for the wild-caught bird trade. Demand for chicks is escalating, as private collectors around the world add this oddity of our African natural heritage to their menageries. (Art Wolfe / Art Wolfe Stock)

African stonechat photographed near St Lucia (South Africa). Always alert, always perfectly positioned above the grass. (Nick du Plessis)