Winner and Finalists of Bird Photography Assignment - #70

From Liz Masoner, former About.com Guide

If the background were not so distracting with a strong artificial leading line this image would be absolutely fabulous. As it stands, the position of the macaw and the focus still makes for a very interesting image. The fill flash worked well here with fine details showing in the wings. The position of the wings and the top of the macaw's head work to form leading lines that draw your attention to the bird's face nicely. Again, if it wasn't for the lines in the background this would be an extremely strong shot.

You can read the story behind the image on the original submission page.