The Emperor Goose Anser canegieus has rarely been seen in the wild by ornithologists because its breeding grounds are confined to a small area in the far west of Alaska and the far east of Siberia The photograph shows a nest site on the flat open wastes of the Alaskan tundra, and it also nests on coastal marshes and islands

In myths and legends swans are common; usually they symbolize grace and beauty and are, of course, white Black swans were quite unknown in the northern hemisphere until fairly recently

Widely distributed throughout the tropical and warm regions of the world, pelicans are birds of ancient lineage Large heavy birds, they are not very adept at getting themselves airborne but once this is achieved, they are powerful fliers

Cranes normally build bulky nests on or close to the ground and the chicks can run about as soon as they are hatched, although it will be several weeks before they are able to fly Most species of crane make long migratory journeys to warmer lands with the approach of winter

Every year, as winter approaches, the graceful, long-legged White Stork Ciconia ciconia of Europe makes its migratory journey to Africa When it returns, Europeans welcome it as a joyful harbinger of spring

Like all bustards, Africa’s handsome Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori nests on the ground Bustards are powerful fliers and when they take to the air they fly like cranes with their necks stretched out and their legs trailing behind

Large birds that have lost the power to fly frequently have to rely on their speed to escape predators One of the fastest running birds, and certainly the largest living bird, is the Ostrich Struthio camelus, which stands 7-8 feet (2

The Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata is common over most of eastern North America, except for the far north, and inhabits both deciduous and coniferous forests, The photograph shows the parent bird removing a faecalsac from the nest This is the way in which most small birds keep their nests clean and tidy; the young produce their droppings in a sort of natural polythene bag, which is then removed by one of the adults and either eaten or deposited at some distance from the nest

The Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis of North America is a pure parasite During the breeding season it is very promiscuous, mating quite randomly and not forming lasting pairs

The Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus, shown here feeding its young belongs to a group of birds which even experienced birdwatchers have difficulty in identifying by sight, and the various Reed Warblers and their song This is probably also the main way in which the various species identify their mates