View the featured photos and top entries in <i>National Wildlife</i>’s monthly caption contests

EVERY YEAR the editors of National Wildlife select unusual or funny images from our annual photography competition to feature in our monthly caption contests. We then invite readers to write captions for the photos. Here are the caption contest winners and runners-up, along with the images that inspired them.

April 2013

WINNER

“And the fish I caught was THIS BIG!“
---Sara May, Asheville, North Carolina

RUNNERS UP

“I can spread my wings—I’m oil-free!”
---Cici Bates, Piedmont, South Carolina

“To get down with me, you'll have to start dancing at the quack of dawn!”
---Kenneth Tredwell, Advance, North Carolina

March 2013

WINNER

“Piranha! Hah-hah-hah! Fooled you.“
---Theresa Shafer, Davenport, Florida

RUNNERS UP

“Don't be a baby. It's not THAT cold!”
---Michelle Kenley, Columbia, Tennessee

“Our Congress in action.”
---Victoria Lytles, Tampa, Florida

“How many times do I have to tell you—no more monkeys jumping on the rocks!"”
---Alyssa Maki, Gainesville, Florida

“Quit monkeying around and get in the water! It's bath time!”
---Ramona Schwengel, Rome, Georgia

“Aarrghh! This green slippery jelly is disgusting.”
---Renate Strub, Mahwah, New Jersey

February 2013

WINNER

“You know, I DO eat crow!“
---Peggy Currey, New Smyrna Beach, Florida

RUNNERS UP

“Great. Another noisy neighbor.”
---Mariane Absolu, North Miami, Florida

“Clean coal is the same thing as a pleasant sounding crow—they don't exist!”
---Mark Boggs, Oakland, California

“Did you just call me bald?”
---Courtney D'Agostino, Haleiwa, Hawaii

“If I stay very still, maybe he won't see me!”
---Rita Holt, Ruckersville, Virginia

“One more peep out of you and I'll show you the real meaning of endangered species!”
---Myron Meisner, Las Vegas, Nevada

“I'll give you something to crow about!”
---Ramona Schwengel, Rome, Georgia

“Quit the 'quothing,' Raven! Or I'll show you 'nevermore' once and for all!”
---Jennifer Sundheim, Tacoma, Washington

January 2013

WINNER

“Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, eat your hearts out!”
---Michelle Fowler, Bethlehem, Georgia

RUNNERS UP

“Listen, pal―next New Year’s, try not to show up for the plunge so hung over!”
---Dave Busch, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

“There's nothing quite as magical as your first dance at the Polar Bear Prom.”
---Woody Haynes, Jacksonville, Florida

"Now keep your eyes closed. Not much further to the big surprise!"
---Ernie McLaney, Charlotte, North Carolina

“Don't give up hope. We got through 12/21/12, didn't we?”
---Myron Meisner, Las Vegas, Nevada

“Polar bears go Gangnam style.”
---Terri Saunders, Alexandria, Virginia

December 2012

WINNER

"You guys and your boring tuxedos. Brown cardigan is in now."
-- Nick Todd, Idyllwild, California

RUNNERS UP

"It wasn’t until years later that Edgar realized he was adopted."
-- India Ashe, Roxbury, Massachusetts

"Eenie, Meanie, Miney, Mocha!"
-- Mary Barr, Reklaw, Texas

“What do you mean you're afraid of the water?”
-- Janet Boyanton, Midlothian, Texas

“For years afterward, Sandy would be mocked for his poor fashion choices.”
--Roni Breza, Sterling, Virginia

"Dang, I knew I shouldn't have put bleach in that dark load I washed."
--Mary Rike, Charlottesville, Virginia

"A penguin salute to Abbey Road."
--Ray Swart, Orlando, Florida

"Ever get the feeling the world was a grand gala and you were a brown tuxedo?"
--Kenneth Tredwell, Advance, North Carolina

November 2012

WINNER

"Dad taught you how to fly, but you need to work on your landings."
-- Sue Detwiler, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

RUNNERS UP

“Whooo is that standing on my head?”
-- Rhonda Clevenger, Azle, Texas

“I'm not falling for that old ‘There's a mouse on your head!’ trick again.”
-- Rob Goldberg, Fayetteville, New York

“When you said you needed a pick-me-up, I didn't realize that I would be involved.”
-- Kathleen Maroney, Long Beach, New York

“I said massage therapy, not acupuncture!”
--Ramona Schwengel, Rome, Georgia

The Flying Owlendas rehearse their next daredevil stunt.
--Kenneth Tredwell, Advance, North Carolina

October 2012

WINNER

"Signed, SEALed, delivered…I’m yours!”
-- Lisa Hardy, Granbury, Texas

RUNNERS UP

"Ooh! I shouldn’t have eaten the whole thing…but it was so tasty."
-- Jon Caffery, Honolulu, Hawaii

“Tails up. Down. Up. Down.”
--Gail Gilbert, Blairsville, Georgia

“I hate the fish bloat.”
--Gerrie Karczynski, Orange, California

"Working hard on her posing, Sally hoped to be cast on the next season of Arctic’s Next Top Seal."
-- Alyssa Maki, Gainesville, Florida

"Centerfold for Playseal magazine."
--Ruth Quarles, Gum Spring, Virginia

September 2012

WINNER

“I just learned a new yoga pose―the Twisted Eagle.”
-- Stephanie Clabaugh, Tacoma, Washington

RUNNERS UP

"Ever since Baldy flew into the tree, he couldn't get the crick out of his neck."
-- Charlie Hardy, Granbury, Texas

“I hate it when people don't rotate their pictures the right way on Facebook!”
-- Annette Hartung, Lovettsville, Virginia

“Every election year the candidates have me looking sideways!”
-- Dan Smith, Evansville, Indiana

August 2012

WINNER

"Have you met my side-kick?"
— Charlie Hardy, Granbury, Texas 

RUNNERS-UP

"Hey, you scratch my neck and I'll scratch yours!"
— Bonnie Kirchner, New Providence, Pennsylvania

"I learned this move watching Lethal Weapon."
— Robert Rossachacj, Glenolden, Pennsylvania.

"If we had our own dance studio, I wouldn't have to use you as a ballet bar!"
— Danita Smead, Sedro Woolley, Washington

 

July 2012

WINNER

Gold Medal Winner at the Freeze Tag Olympics.
— Will Aguilar, Fort Detrick, Maryland

 

RUNNERS-UP

"Please, no pictures until the novocaine wears off!"
— William Williams, Benton, Pennsylvania

Elvira knew she'd win friends with her "trapped in a tasty glass box" mime routine.
— Olivia Ambrogio, Washington, D.C.

"One last lick and I'll have that window glass so clean it'll just disappear!"
— Manuel David, Lake Charles, Louisiana

Automatic Computer Screen Cleaner
— Rita Paulk, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

 

June 2012

WINNER

"Do you think these feathers make my butt look fat?"
— Sue Veith, Hollywood, Maryland

 

RUNNERS-UP

"Your wings don't match!"
— Rose Armstrong, Martinsville, Indiana

"Watch and learn. Step, step, hop."
— Lisa Henley, Fremont, Michigan

"They went that way, officer! I saw the whole thing!"
— Phyllis Hunt, West Haven, Connecticut

"I'm tellin' ya, brother, the disco era is over!"
— Tiffany Miley, Avon, Minnesota

"Stand up tall, shoulders back. Now call us chickens."
— Janet Parker, Milford, Virginia

"I caught a fish this big!"
— Anne Williams, Newark, California

 

May 2012

WINNER

"I always said you could lean on me. But, really?!"
— Karen Dorsett, Memphis, Tennessee

 

RUNNERS-UP

"Don't worry―we have your back."
— Deb Buchanan, Liberty, Missouri

"We don't care if it's Daylight Saving Time. Please, just two more hours of sleep."
— Sue Detwiler, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"If I move, will they topple over?"
— Lepha Midkiff

"I told you two NOT to stay up all night!"
— Glenda Van Wart, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

"Does that look like a hawk to you, guys? …Guys?"
— Aaron Young, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

 

April 2012

WINNER

“Come on, Bud. Get off that cell phone and let's play!”
—Elaine J. Kelly, Brick, New Jersey

 

RUNNERS-UP

“Dancing with the Stars didn't look THAT hard.
— Jennifer Bjerke-Mickle, Cheyenne, Wyoming

"It's not that hard, dude. You put your left foot in; you take your left foot out. It’s the LEFT foot!”
— Beth Rodgers, Elm Grove, Wisconsin

"You seriously need to cut down on the kung-fu movies."
— Kurt Tonjes, Lindenhurst, New York

 

March 2012

WINNER

"I'm supposed to walk on these?"
— Gary O'Daniels, Creston, Iowa

 

RUNNERS-UP

"I can't seem to get off my butt."
— Doreen Montis, Great Falls, Virginia

"Aww, Man! I can't believe I just sat in that."
— Kurt Tonjes, Lindenhurst, New York

 

February 2012

WINNER

"OK, what happened last night? I don't remember a thing after the fourth Twinkie."
— Kurt Tonjes, Lindenhurst, New York

 

RUNNERS-UP

"Coming out isn't the same as going in."
— Deb Buchanan, Liberty, Missouri

"That was way too close! That'll be the last time I sneak through the back door of a restaurant."
— Lisa Hardy, Granbury, Texas

"I didn't think I ate that much while I was in there."
— Paula Pruessner, New Haven, Missouri

"All this for one french fry!"
— Tammy Smith, Orange, Texas

"Pardon me, but would you have any Grey Poupon?"
— Josh Velten, Whitesboro, Texas

"Help, Ma! The dumpster truck is coming!"
— Dian Wood, Sauble Beach, Ontario

 

January 2012

WINNER

"Why walk when you can slide!"
— Jason Ralston, Salt Lake City, Utah

 

RUNNERS-UP

"Penguin number two! You are cleared for takeoff!"
— Barbara Allibone, Bound Brook, New Jersey

"Mom said I can't play for 15 minutes. I'm in a timeout."
— Sue Detwiler, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"Guys, are you sure this is safe?" "C'mon, Randy, it's fun!"
— Peter Funk, Levittown, Pennsylvania

"Hey, there's no chair lift to get you guys back up here!"
— Robert Kerchen, Metamora, Michigan

"I'll wait here; just bring me some fish."
— Nancy Olney, Tucson, Arizona

"Seriously, Mom and Dad? How embarrassing."
— Diana Schneider, Acworth, Georgia