Editor's Note: This gallery consists of images submitted to our annual 探花精选 Photography Awards. If you haven't yet, check out this year's winning photographs, along with our slideshow of the top 100 shots. You can also see other 2017 entries in these collections of fascinating bird behaviors, humorous close-up shots, and adorable baby birds. To see last year's winners, go here.
Bonus: Should these photos inspire you to dust off your old camera or even buy a new one, here are some tips and how-tos for taking great bird photographs, as well as our guidelines for ethical bird photography. And if you just want to learn more about the birds around you, download our free 探花精选 bird guide app to begin identifying 821 North American species today. Along with information on field marks, habitat preferences, and behaviors, the app provides up to eight hours of bird calls and songs. It can also access the most recent eBird updates, and is available for Apple, Android and Amazon Kindle devices. In other words, it's great.
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