Yes Georgina, those Audubon images are very much the type of thing I mean.
I do love the sharpness and detail of a lot of the more technical images, but my preference for something I would want to hang on the wall or put in a book would tend to include more of the dramatic ones in terms of action, light, story and behaviour. Of course still as sharp and close as possible, but for action that is not always as close. Though as you mention, it seems like many of the top international competitions such as Audubon and also National Geographic etc often go for the more action oriented or interesting behavioural shot.
To be honest I have had second thoughts about entering some of the competitions recently or perhaps entering less is a better way of putting it, as it does seem like the aim is becoming ever more and more technical and very close up. So lately I have been finding that if I don't have real close ups in the category of the current comp, I have found myself wondering if it's worth entering some of the others I have that I like, even if I think they might be more interesting, fun or artistic.

Hi Kristina,
To go back to an old thread, please do continue to post your kind of photos in competitions. There are many of us who are drawn to the artistic type images over technical perfection and it would be a tragedy of all we ended up getting were those kinds of images. In my opinion (sorry men), its a very 'male' way of viewing things (of which I myself am sometimes guilty). We females have to challenge the traditional notion of a good bird photo and we can only do this through persisting in posting photos from a different perspective. We'll bombard them! Fight! dont give in! viva la difference! ok, stepping off soap box now to get a coffee...