Here are the winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2021. Photographers in this major international competition battled for the £5,000 grand prize, with the image of a roadrunner at the Mexico-USA border wall chosen as the Overall Winner.

With over 22,000 images entered into the competition this year, Bird Photographer of the Year is pleased to present our winners. Celebrating bird life from around the world, these images comprise some of the most incredible bird photos in the world taken by talented photographers.

You can find more info about BPOTY:

#1 ‘Blocked’ by Alejandro Prieto. Overall Winner and Bird Photographer of the Year 2021

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#2 ‘Morning Lek’ by Levi Fitze. Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2021.

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#3 Best Portfolio Winner by Kevin Morgans

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#4 ‘Underwater Portrait’ by Felipe Foncueva (Gold)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#5 ‘Sing Heartily’ by Maofeng Shen (Silver)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#6 Night Hunter by Jonas Classon (Bronze)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#7 Birds in the Environment: ‘Claiming the Forest Floor’ by Joshua Galicki (Silver)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#8 Birds in the Environment: ‘Yellow-billed Oxpecker with Cape Buffalo’ by Barbara Fleming (Bronze)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#9 Attention to Detail: ‘Disappearing’ by Rafael Armada (Gold)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#10 Attention to Detail: ‘Growing Up’ by Raymond Hennessy (Silver)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#11 Attention to Detail: ‘Blue Flames’ by Kerry Wu (Bronze)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#12 Bird Behaviour: ‘Floral Bathtub’ by Mousam Ray (Gold)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#13 Bird Behaviour: ‘The Face of Death’ by Massimiliano Apollo (Silver)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#14 Bird Behaviour: ‘Entangled’ by Julie Halliday (Bronze)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#15 Birds in Flight: ‘Thirsty’ by Tzahi Finkelstein (Gold)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#16 Birds in Flight: ‘The Art of Motion’ by Nicolas Reusens (Silver)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#17 Birds in Flight: ‘First Come First Served’ by Hannes Lochner (Bronze)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#18 Black and White: ‘Chinstrap Penguin’ by Renato Granieri (Gold)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#19 Black and White: ‘Feather Light’ by James Rogerson (Silver)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#20 Black and White: ‘Sur Les Roches Bretonnes’ by Nathalie Chanteau (Bronze)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#21 Urban Birds: ‘Dipper on Shopping Trolley’ by Terry Whittaker (Gold)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#22 Urban Birds: ‘Lockdown’ by William Steel (Silver)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#23 Urban Birds: ‘The Guardians’ by Paolo Crocetta (Bronze)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#24 Creative Imagery: ‘Sprats and Bread’ by Ruediger Schulz (Gold)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#25 Creative Imagery: ‘Funnel’ by Kathryn Cooper (Silver)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#26 Creative Imagery: ‘Cranes, Trains and Automobile’ by Ruth Hughes (Bronze)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#27 Conservation Award: ‘Sentinels’ by Carla Rhodes, USA

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#28 9-13 years: ‘In the Woodland’ by Andrés L. Domínguez Blanco (Gold)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#29 8 and under: ‘I See You’ by Deeksha Sambath (Gold)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#30 Highly Commended: Aguti Antonio – AGGRESSION (Best Portrait)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#31 Highly Commended: Brad James – MORNING BREATH (Best Portrait)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#32 Highly Commended: Ben Cranke – THE BLIZZARD (Birds in the Environment)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#33 Highly Commended: Ben Hall – BACKLIT BEAUTY (Birds in the Environment)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#34 Highly Commended: Basileo Stanislao – WAITING FOR PREY (Birds in the Environment)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#35 Highly Commended: Gábor Li – A PEEK INTO THE NIGHT (Birds in the Environment)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#36 Highly Commended: Zakariya Omran – GOLDEN WAVES (Birds in the Environment)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#37 Highly Commended: Gábor Li – LONELY DEPTH (Birds in the Environment)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#38 Highly Commended: Li Ying Lou – LOVE CALL (Bird Behaviour)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#39 Highly Commended: Brian Matthews – FEEDING TIME (Bird Behaviour)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021

#40 Highly Commended: José-Elías Rodríguez – OVER A THISTLE FOREST (Birds in Flight)

40 Winning Photos Of Bird Photographer Of The Year 2021


Please check our previous related articles: