A great bird photograph can appear easy. All it takes is a flash of wings, good timing, and ideal lighting, and suddenly you’ve got the picture. Yet behind that split-second magic is usually a lot of waiting, watching, and patience.
The photographs that have won awards in the Bird Photographer of the Year competition make it perfectly clear why bird photography is by no means an easy thing. These photographers do not just point their camera at a bird and hope for the best; instead they study the bird’s behaviour, take account of the light, predict its movement, and on certain occasions wait for hours for that one memorable moment.
The thing I enjoy most is listening to the stories associated with these images: a bird taking off at the exact right moment, a dramatic interaction captured before it disappears, a tranquil portrait produced after having spent countless hours in the field. Although the last frame might last forever, the moment itself can vanish in the blink of an eye.
The Bird Photographer of the Year awards recognize outstanding photography in several categories each year, with the 2026 results expected to be announced in September 2026, so there is still plenty to look forward to.
The competition’s Facebook page is where photographers and bird-photography enthusiasts can find photos and keep up with the latest updates.
A worthwhile photograph sometimes has a simple secret: wait longer, watch more closely, and be ready when nature eventually says, "Now."
You can find more info about BPOTY:
#1. Death Grip by Antonio Aguti, Italy
"This photo of a cormorant was taken one summer afternoon from a floating hide in a large lake. The conditions were far from ideal as it was rather windy and the waves were moving the hide, which risked swamping the camera. By working quickly and taking a burst of images of the bird as it surfaced with a fish fairly close by, I got the photo I had hoped for."
#2. There Is Danger by Zhikai Wu, China
"I was sitting quietly in a hide when this male painted-snipe emerged from the marsh to search for food, with two chicks in tow. Just at this moment, a kingfisher dived into the water nearby, creating a big splash. The wader instinctively spread his beautifully patterned wings in defence and amazingly one of the chicks followed his example. Watching this remarkable behaviour was a very memorable experience."
#3. It’s My Space! by Juan Pucci, Costa Rica
"The beautiful Fiery-throated Hummingbird is endemic to Costa Rica and Panama, where it is frequently seen but is not easy to photograph. Despite their small size, these birds are serious about defending their feeding territory. Both males and females patrol their patch and won’t hesitate to chase off not just rivals and other hummingbirds but larger birds too."
#4. Scramble by Jim Lee, Singapore
"Pacific Swallows were feeding actively around the pond and when adults returned with food their fledglings emitted high-pitched calls and chased after them to be fed. The resulting mid-air interactions happened quickly, lasting only seconds. I positioned myself looking towards the sun to capture the swallows’ wings backlit as they flew. In this food transfer, neither of the two fledglings was successful in securing a meal."
#5. Challenging the Elements by Moreno Pellegrin, Italy
"While scanning the river near my house I often had the opportunity to observe a dipper going about its daily activities. I noticed that it followed regular routes when flying over the water. I wanted to try to photograph the bird from a slightly unusual viewpoint as it flew over a waterfall."
#6. Symmetry by Joshua Galicki, United States
"I took this image of Northern Gannets from a boat, using an underwater housing for my camera attached to a pole that had a handle trigger to release the shutter. I essentially had to hold this equipment over the side of the boat and take photos by squeezing the trigger at the right time."
#7. Crossbills Couple by Maxime Legare-Vezina, Canada
"I set up a bird feeder with carefully chosen perches in the boreal forest in Canada, hoping to attract some interesting visitors. After a long wait, a pair of crossbills finally landed together, offering me this perfect scene. The contrast between their colours and the delicate lichens made the wait more than worth it!"
#8. Peregrine Falcon Posing by Mario Labado, United States
"Against the backdrop of the yellow blooms on the cliffs of the Southern California coast, this Peregrine Falcon was perched on a branch looking away. Suddenly it turned its head and gave me the ‘side eye’, just as I pressed the shutter."
#9. Blackbird by Brendon White, South Africa
"Inspired by Csaba Daróczi’s photo of a Blackbird, The Beak, I had a pre conceptualised idea of the photo I was after and kept a close lookout for all the elements to come together. One evening at dusk, the perfect opportunity presented itself as I came across a striking male blackbird perched at eye level on a stone wall singing his evening song. The low light perhaps made the bird more confiding, allowing me to get closer."
#10. Double Affection by Florian Warnecke, Germany
"During a memorable visit to Great Saltee Island, I was very fortunate to obtain this photo of two pairs of Northern Gannets displaying in a similar pose very close to each other at the same time. The original image includes part of the birds’ bodies, but by cropping a little I felt the composition was much stronger."
#11. Mandarin Hideaway by Andrew Rouse, United Kingdom
"I have been doing a long-term project on my local Mandarin Ducks throughout the seasons. They are incredible birds to watch and photograph and after much legwork I have got to know their favoured areas. As a result, I was able to take this photo of a roosting male without causing disturbance, by being at the right place at the right time. I just love the habitat here – and, of course, no duck in the world is more beautiful than the male Mandarin!"
#12. Building Materials by Jim Lee, Singapore
"Golden-backed Weavers build their nests by collecting blades of grass and other plant materials and skilfully weaving them into oval-shaped structures. I noticed that one individual was following the same path when flying across the field, having gathered supplies, as it returned to its unfinished nest to continue construction. When it flew off again, I prepared my camera and was able to capture this moment as it came in again."
#13. Protecting the Nest by Krisztina Scheeff, United States
"Obtaining photographs of the world’s fastest animal, the Peregrine Falcon, in flight is certainly quite a challenge! Peregrines breed on the cliffs at this coastal location and once the chicks hatch the female becomes very protective of the nest. When a Brown Pelican glides past too close she quickly darts out from her high perch and ensures that it is escorted away from the area, often, and despite the pelican’s size, making physical contact, before flying back to her perch."
#14. Great Grey Flying in With Prey by Protik Hossain, United States
"A Great Grey Owl flying to its nest carrying a freshly killed gopher. The area where this photo was taken was side-lit with late afternoon sunlight filtering through the forest, creating a challenging lighting scenario that
made it impossible to predict the ideal exposure for any particular shot. To address this, I set the exposure manually to preserve the highlights when the owl was in the sun and to optimise the dynamic range in both bright and shaded conditions."
#15. Northern Harrier in Snowstorm by Muhammad Faizan, United States
"I am fortunate to have Northern Harriers wintering on the farmland not far from where I live. One snowy day I drove out to the area and positioned my car, which happens to be white and doubles quite effectively as a snow blind, in a spot where I had previously seen one of these birds hunting, and sat watching and waiting. I felt rather disheartened when it soon started snowing heavily and was just preparing to leave when I spotted this beautiful juvenile harrier flying straight towards me through the blizzard."
#16. Let Me Eat First by Saleel Tambe, United Kingdom
"Goldfinches are especially fond of teasel seeds and are greatly attracted by the stands of this distinctive plant, particularly during the autumn and winter. The birds are quite possessive when feeding on a seed head, frequently repelling other birds that come too close. This often results in spontaneous fights and I managed to capture one such moment when two birds were facing off."
#17. Grace by Protik Hossain, United States
"A Savannah Sparrow glides gracefully over a sea of soft pink tulips. Capturing this moment was no easy feat as these birds are incredibly fast, darting swiftly between the tulips, making it a real challenge to catch them in flight. I spent countless hours waiting, trying over and over again to anticipate the birds’ movements, hoping for the perfect alignment of light, background and motion. After many attempts, I finally managed to obtain the picture I had been hoping for."
#18. Golden Treasure by Michał Janiak, Poland
"This photo of a Common Snipe was taken at the Jeziorsko Reservoir in Poland while I sat quietly near the water’s edge at dawn, camouflaged using a camo net and some natural vegetation. It was during the last year of levee renovation work, which had taken place over a few years. At this time the reservoir was not completely filled, creating many suitable areas for wading and meadow birds during both the nesting and migration seasons. Unfortunately for wildlife, renovation has been completed and this wonderful area has now been lost."
#19. Tango by Kornél Bedő, Hungary
"In their struggle for food, a heron and a cormorant take up a position as if they were dancing a tango together."
#20. Wingspan by Linda Scher, United States
"While on a nature photo tour from Sitka to Petersburg in Alaska, we were passing a beautiful area with a mountainous backdrop when the captain of our boat threw a few frozen herrings into the water. It wasn’t long before Bald Eagles and gulls came in for a meal. I really liked this photo because it so clearly shows the impressive wingspan of the Bald Eagle and the bird’s relative size compared with a large gull – in this case a Glaucous-winged Gull."
#21. Air Battle by Jonas Classon, Sweden
"On the edge of Bempton Cliffs, a fight erupts, ending in a daring aerial duel between two Razorbills battling fiercely for territory. I followed these birds as they tumbled in freefall, bills locked and spinning down towards the sea, for over a hundred metres – a breathtaking display of determination."
#22. Connection by Yosi Chen, Israel
"Every year I visit a place in Israel where Common Terns breed. On this occasion I set up my portable hide close to the water’s edge where there were a few stones emerging from the surface a few metres away. Just as the sun was rising a young tern landed on one of the stones in perfect, flat light. After a few calls for food, one of its parents arrived with a fish and passed it over while hovering in the air: it was like a sweet kiss from a devoted parent."
#23. Grebe’s Sunrise by Mark Harder, Australia
"Early one morning I made my way to a lake close to where I live to look for a pair of Great Crested Grebes that had taken up residence. I was slightly disappointed to find just a single bird feeding nearby, but seemingly out of nowhere the second bird soon appeared. I kept still and to my delight the birds started to engage in their full courtship dance right in front of me. The sun was just rising and the light was playing on the water’s surface, creating a wonderful scene."
#24. Flash of Colour by Andy Parkinson, United Kingdom
"During the few days I spent at the ‘macaw sinkhole’ in a remote part of the southern Pantanal, I spent most of my time concentrating on trying to capture the motion of the macaws in flight over the forest below. This image was shot using a slow shutter speed in order to create the kind of pleasing aesthetic that I was striving for – the forest rendered as a patchwork of muted colours and the macaws showing off the best of their striking plumage."
#25. Chaffinch vs. Brambling by Petter Askø Næss, Norway
"At the beginning of spring, following a few warm days, there was a sudden drop in temperature with some snow flurries. As a result, many small birds were attracted by the sunflower seeds at my feeder. One of the chaffinches was particularly protective of this food resource, aggressively chasing off any other bird that appeared – it actually put more effort into this than into eating! I positioned my portable hide close to the feeder to capture the action and was delighted with this image of the chaffinch having a face-off with a Brambling in the falling snow."
#26. Fight in the Snow by Florian Warnecke, Germany
"On the ski slopes near Sofia in Bulgaria, nutcrackers are very used to people and sometimes even feed from your hand. In this case two birds were fighting over some seeds we had brought out. On the last day of our trip we spent quite some time with these extraordinary and entertaining birds. Unfortunately, the weather was overcast and dull and it was therefore difficult to obtain suitably fast shutter speeds to freeze the birds’ movements. After much trial and error, I managed to take this shot, which I was pleased with."
#27. Solitude by Sean Weekly, United Kingdom
"Lake Kussharo in eastern Hokkaido is Japan’s largest caldera lake and attracts hundreds of Whooper Swans each winter. While much of the lake freezes, the edges remain ice-free due to volcanic activity, providing a warm haven for the swans to paddle and socialise. These elegant birds are popular among photographers, and during my visit I was keen to capture a unique shot."
#28. Flamingo Reflections by Conrad Dickinson, United Kingdom
"During a visit to Mozambique, a local boatman took me to an isolated sand bar that was inhabited by flamingos. Here the birds were used to fishing boats and were therefore not so easily disturbed. My aim was to photograph the flamingos at water level against the setting sun."
#29. Veiled in Moss by Russell McBurnie, United States
"I captured this portrait of a Great Horned Owl within a very dense forest laden with Spanish Moss last spring. It is the male of a breeding pair of birds that I had been observing. He always remained elusive, often blending seamlessly with his surroundings despite using regular perches. On this occasion, the cool light on the Spanish Moss accentuated his warm tones, making him stand out against the forest backdrop. Using a telephoto lens, I photographed him from a respectful distance, which helped to preserve the serene essence of the scene and reflect his subtle presence."
#30. Forest Story by Tibor Litauszki, Hungary
"A crow flies over the forest above the trees. I owe the special perspective of this photo to the fact that I found a fallen tree in the forest with a hole in it. I put my camera inside and waited for the right moment."
#31. Angel of the Grasslands by Rebecca DePorte, United States
"Each winter I visit the grasslands near to where I live looking for Short-eared Owls, which habitually hunt after perching atop a dried mullein stalk. I wait, sometimes hours, for an owl to arrive. When one lands on a mullein stalk with its wings outstretched, I know it will soon dive into the grass and emerge with a vole."
#32. Gossip by Aaron Todd, Canada
"Two female Wood Ducks communicate while perched on a stick. I used a floating hide and a dry suit to immerse myself in an area of flooded trees where Wood Ducks sometimes perch to rest and preen. The image was taken in spring, at the beginning of the nesting season, when tensions over mates and territories can result in interesting interactions between the ducks."
#33. Time for Hunting by Francesco Guffanti, Italy
"Cloudy days are the Golden Eagle’s favoured hunting days, as the lack of direct sunlight reduces the risk of the bird casting a shadow on its prey, increasing the chance of a successful attack. I know the habits of this pair of eagles very well, the birds usually frequenting the rock face together. The large ancient larches frame the scene, a tribute to the wild mountains where I live."
#34. Rainbow Breath by Brad James, Canada
"During a weekend visit to Terrenceville, Newfoundland in May, which is the beginning of the warbler season there, I spent a number of days photographing these birds along the edges of the open barrens. This particular Black-and white Warbler was occupying a small patch of waist-high Black Spruce trees. There was little to no wind and the temperature was just above zero."
#35. Spring Blizzard by Daniel Nordgren, Sweden
"Two male Black Grouse demonstrating their strength at a lek site near Umeå in northern Sweden, during a heavy snowfall in late April. The presence of females at the lek provides great opportunities for action shots, as this is when the males try particularly hard to assert their dominance. I was lying on the ground in my hide to get the lowest possible angle for this photo."
Frequently Asked Questions:
What does the title Bird Photographer of the Year mean?
Bird Photographer of the Year is an international photography competition which takes place once a year and honours outstanding bird photographs in a number of categories. It features talented photographers who achieve remarkable results by capturing impressive moments, behaviours, and portraits of birds through their creativity, patience, timing and excellent photographic skill.
Why does bird photography take so much patience?
Birds usually do not cooperate with photographers. To get a great photograph one may have to wait for hours in silence, observing the birds’ behaviour, movement, the weather, and the light. The photographer has to remain ready since the ideal moment could appear suddenly and then vanish just as fast.
What qualifies a bird photograph as being award-winning?
A bird photograph that has won an award features good composition, attractive lighting, precise timing, and an interesting story or behaviour. Although technical ability is important, it is the images that leave the most lasting impression because they cause viewers to pause, feel an emotion, and see the bird world in a entirely new way.
What is the date on which the winners of the 2026 Bird Photographer of the Year will be announced?
The results of the 2026 Bird Photographer of the Year competition are due to be announced in September 2026. Photographs are entered in various categories, which gives photographers the chance to display imaginative and impressive pictures that celebrate birds and their natural environment.
How can I keep up with the latest updates from Bird Photographer of the Year?
You are able to keep up with Bird Photographer of the Year on its official social media accounts, such as Facebook and Instagram, for information about the competition, views of the featured photographs, stories about the photographers, and regular updates. The Website’s Facebook page is also a great place to find inspiring bird photography from around the world.
