Each year, the Audobon Society chooses the most remarkable photo submissions of birds in the wild. This year's winning photos were chosen from a pool of 9,000 submissions and they truly showcase the majesty, beauty and playfulness of birds around the world.

Continue on to view a selection of the winning photographs.

A sneaky hummingbird steals a glance from behind a group of Madeira flowers.

Photography: Patrick Coughlin

A beautiful shot of a sandhill crane and its colt.

Photography: Robin Ulery

This photo of a northern harrier was captured during a hunt.

Photography: Elizabeth Yicheng Shen

A purple sandpiper relaxes on the seaside rocks of Massachusetts.

Photography: Arav Karighattam

Northern cardinals look particularly striking against wintery landscapes.

Photography: Steve Jessmore

This memorable photo of a red-winged blackbird was taken while it was plucking insects out of a flower.

Photography: Shirley Donald

This awesome photo of Canadian geese was good enough for honorable mention in the youth category.

Photography: Josiah Launstein

A hummingbird collects cattail fluff in this close-up photo.

Photography: Karen Boyer Guyton.

This photo of a majestic peregrine falcon was snapped moments after it caught an acorn woodpecker.

Photography: Tom Ingram

A Grand Prize-winning shot of a greater roadrunner on a hot Texas day.

Photography: Carolina Fraser

A red-tailed hawk stares at a chipmunk after catching it in the Michigan snow.

Photography: Steve Jessmore