Photographing birds can be difficult, with no shortage of early morning wake-ups, frustrating weather conditions, and uncooperative subjects. But capturing compelling images of young birds presents its own set of challenges. Chicks can be even more unpredictable than adults, have funny behaviors—peeping or begging for food for hours on end—and move suddenly, disrupting an otherwise beautifully in-focus image. Photographing parents with chicks also requires extra patience (feedings occur quickly and infrequently) and hypervigilance to any sign of stress in the parents or chicks. Taking pictures of baby birds from a responsible distance and with a telephoto lens is the best way to avoid causing harm to adults or young. The 15 photos in this gallery safely and crisply capture chicks of various species in all their cute and fluffy glory. Although the images below didn't snag any awards—check out the winners and Top 100 if you haven't yet—they certainly warmed our...