2025 Bird Photographer of the Year Winners The winners of the 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year contest have been announced, showcasing remarkable photographs of the avian species from around the world.
This year, more than 33,000 images were submitted, with entries created by seasoned pros and those younger than 11 years old.
The adult competition features eight categories, including Best Portrait, Birds in the Environment, Bird Behaviour, Birds in Flight, Black and White, Urban Birds, Conservation (Single Image) and Creative Perspectives. Additionally, there are youth categories for 15-17 year olds, 12-14 year olds and 11 and under.
This year's grand prize winner was a photograph of a bird flying in front of a solar eclipse, taken by Liron Gertsman of Canada. "I spent well over a year of planning to capture my dream of a bird in front of the total solar eclipse," says Gertsman. "I enlisted the help of
a boat to position myself near some islets off Mazatl
"Exceptional bird photography takes technical excellence, artistic vision, and dedication. When everything comes together, you get a spectacular image like this one," says Will Nicholls, Director of Bird Photographer of the Year. "This photograph is a striking reminder of what human creativity can achieve. In a world increasingly filled with AI imagery, it’s refreshing to celebrate a picture that is both awe-inspiring and rooted in the natural world. "
The contest also crowned Tomasz Michalski the Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2025 for his silhouette of a black vulture.
This year, the Bird Photographer of the Year contest donated more than Birds on the Brink, which provides funding to grass-roots bird conservation projects around the world.
You can see more of the winning images and learn more about the contest at birdpoty. com. Additionally, the 2026 contest is now open for entries and invites photographers of all experience levels from anywhere in the world.
Bird Photographer of the Year
Photographer: Liron Gertsman / Bird Photographer of the Year
Awards: Overall Winner and Gold Award for Birds in Flight
Image title: The Frigatebird and the Diamond Ring
Location: Mazatl
Bird: Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregatta magnificens.
Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 100–500mm F4. 5–7. 1 lens. 400mm | 1/4000 sec| F7. 1 | ISO 10,000
Caption: After well over a year of planning and about a week of in-person scouting on the coast of Sinaloa in Mexico, my dream of capturing a bird in front of a total solar eclipse finally came true on April 8, 2024. Totality was due to last almost 4. 5 minutes, and I had enlisted the help of a boat to position myself near some islets o
Young Bird Photographer of the Year
Photographer: Tomasz Michalski / Bird Photographer of the Year
Awards: Young Bird Photographer of the Year and Gold Award for 15-17 Years
Image title: Minimalist Wings
Location: Popoyo, Nicaragua
Bird: Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus.
Technical details: Olympus E-M1 Mark II with Leica 100–400mm F4–6. 3 lens. 400mm | 1/320 sec | F22| ISO 125
Caption: I took this photo during the biggest trip of my life, which was to Central
America in July 2024, in the first country we visited, Nicaragua. I saw this
big vulture drying its wings on a pole close to our hotel. I was being
watched by the bird but it was very calm so I had a long time to
photograph it. The scenery wasn’t beautiful so I decided to frame it with
only part of the bird being in the photo. I tried various combinations and
this one is my favourite.
Best Portrait - Gold Award
Photographer: Ste
Image title: Bloody Petrel
Location: Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Bird: Southern Giant Petrel, Macronectes giganteus
Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 400mm F2. 8 lens. 400mm | 1/3200 sec | F2. 8 | ISO 1000
Caption: Giant petrels are the scavengers of the Southern Ocean, often seen feeding
on carrion. This individual has its head stained red with blood from a recent meal. Although their feeding habits may seem gruesome, these birds play a vital role in the ecosystem by preventing the spread of disease. Despite their appearance, giant petrels are surprisingly devoted parents, with both males and females taking turns incubating their single egg and guarding their chick for weeks. Once heavily persecuted for their oil, their populations have rebounded thanks to conservation e
Best Portrait - Silver Award
Photographer: Maxime Legare-Vezina / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Voice of the Ash Forest
Location: Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
Bird: Common Raven, Corvus corax
Equipment: Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 600mm F4 III lens. 600mm | 1/400 sec | F4 | ISO 1250
Caption: After the devastating wildfires of summer 2024, I visited Jasper to witness the desolation. In the scorched landscape, where ash covered everything, only a few animals had returned. Among them, Common Ravens were some of the first to reclaim the land. This one, perched on a charred tree, was calling out, as if mourning the loss of its kingdom.
Bird Behavior - Gold Award
Photographer: Francesco Gu
Image title: Angel or Demon
Location: Aosta Valley, Italy
Bird: Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
Technical details: Nikon Z 6 with Nikon Z 24–70mm F4 lens. 35mm | 1/250 sec | F5 | ISO 4000
Caption: A Red Deer killed by a car in the pine forest near to where I live provided a fantastic opportunity to document the activity of carnivores and scavengers visiting the carcass. With the help of a friend I positioned and camouflaged a motion sensor and two mirrorless cameras nearby. To avoid any disturbance I avoided the use of flashes or any other type of artificial light. After foxes, crows and some small birds had paid a visit, most unexpectedly, and despite the thick blanket of branches, a Golden Eagle appeared and descended to feed on the carcass. It was an unforgettable experience.
Bird Behavior - Silver Award
Photographer: Mateusz Piesiak / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: King of the Forest
Location: Jura, Switzerland
Bird: Western Capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus
Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 400mm F2. 8 II lens. 400mm | 1/1600 sec | F2. 8 | ISO 800
Caption: This male capercaillie, illuminated by the first rays of the rising sun, had perched in the ideal spot. The emotions I felt are hard to put into words. Overwhelmed by the scene, I forgot to adjust my camera settings, resulting in most of the photos being blurry. Thankfully, though, a few turned out sharp!
Birds in Flight - Silver Award
Photographer: Baiju Patil / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Through the Marigolds
Location: Hiware Bazar, Maharashtra, India
Bird: Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
Technical details: Nikon D4 with Nikon 14–24mm F2. 8 lens. 14mm | 1/250 sec | F10 | ISO 200
Caption: The fields of marigolds around the village of Hiware Bazar are a sight to behold, and seeing the flocks of swallows skimming over them gave me the idea for this photo. I noticed that some of the birds kept feeding over the same area and set up my camera so that I could fire it with a remote. This is one of the many thousands of photos I took and is the one I am most pleased with.
Birds in the Environment - Gold Award
Photographer: Franco Banfi / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Feasting at Sunset
Location: Esp
Bird: Brandt’s Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Technical details: Sony A7R III with Sony 8–15mm F4 lens. 15mm | 1/200 sec | F8 | ISO 400
Caption: I was in the Sea of Cortez, near Los Islotes, a fistful of rocks that is part of the Esp and elegance of Brandt’s Cormorants as they fed on an almost endless school of small pilchards. Most of the hunting activities took place at sunset, when the low natural light conditions were challenging. But on one occasion the conditions were favourable and I was able to take this particular image that gives a three- dimensional perspective.
Birds in the Environment - Silver Award
Photographer: Levi Fitze / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Structures
Location: Alpstein, Switzerland
Bird: Rock Ptarmigan, Lagopus muta
Technical details: Sony a7 IV with Sony 200–600mm F5. 6–6. 3 lens. 512mm | 1/2000 sec | F6. 3 | ISO 800
Caption: I spotted this Rock Ptarmigan walking slowly up a snowy hillside in the Swiss mountains on a frozen winter’s day. Ptarmigans are masters of camouflage, their white winter plumage blending in so well with the snow. I noticed that the footprints this bird was leaving in the snow, emphasised by the low, flat light, were perhaps more noticeable than the bird itself. I framed the image so that the bird was part of the picture to highlight its expansive environment and show the wonderful textures in the snow.
Black and White - Gold Award
Photographer: Jannik Jansons / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: The Giant
Location: Horn
Birds: European Shag and Common Guillemot, Gulosus aristotelis and Uria aalge
Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 16–35mm F2. 8 III lens. 34mm | 1/640 sec | F22 | ISO 800
Caption: Using a wide-angle lens, I photographed a shag taking o
Black and White - Silver Award
Photographer: Raoul Slater / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Black and White Swan
Location: Gympie, Queensland, Australia
Bird: Black Swan, Cygnus atratus
Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 100–400mm F4. 5–5. 6 II lens. 263mm | 1/8000 sec | F5 | ISO 800
Caption: At thirteen, I switched my Canon AE-1 from programme mode to aperture priority – and I’ve worked that way ever since. I prefer controlling depth of field first, shutter speed second. It usually works – except in moments like this, when photographing in low, pre-dawn light when the sun suddenly rises. I forget to adjust, the shutter speed maxes out, and the image blows out. This photo, taken on a misty morning, appeared three stops brighter than I’d visualised – and it took my breath away. Sometimes, a divine accident redeems a thousand mistakes.
Creative Perspectives - Gold Award
Photographer: Philipp Egger / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Photo Art
Location: Alps, Italy
Bird: Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
Technical details: Nikon Z 7 II with Nikon Z 24–70mm F4 lens. 36mm | 1/200 sec |
F11 | ISO 125
Caption: My idea behind this photograph was to capture a kingfisher flying over a piece of artwork so that the two became merged. To achieve this, I mounted my camera on a dead fallen tree across a small stream and pointed it vertically downwards at the artwork positioned just above the water’s surface. I then waited for days in my camouflaged tent not far away triggering the camera with a radio remote release when the bird flew over the picture.
Creative Perspectives - Silver Award
Photographer: Andreas Hemb / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Landing in a Sea of Swans
Location: Tysslingen,
Bird: Whooper Swan, Cygnus cygnus
Technical details: Sony a1 with Sony 400mm F2. 8 lens. 400mm | 1/4 sec | F5. 6 | ISO 500
Caption: Nothing heralds the arrival of spring more evocatively than the sight and sound of migrant birds in Sweden, with the appearance of Whooper Swans being a particular highlight. I took this image at dusk as the swans were gathering in a field next to a lake. Using a slow shutter speed to emphasise motion, I tracked one of the swans as it came in to land, aiming to capture its grace against an abstract sea of swans on the ground.
Urban Birds - Gold Award
Photographer: Alex Pansier / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Feathered on Panels
Location: Near a highway, Netherlands
Bird: Carrion Crow, Corvus corone
Technical details: Sony a1 with Sony 100–400mm F4. 5-5. 6 lens. 348mm | 1/500 sec | F13 | ISO 6400
Caption: A lone bird rests on a vast field of solar panels alongside a highway in the Netherlands – a striking symbol of the tension between green energy and nature. As we transition to sustainable power, the infrastructure often claims scarce space that could have been left for wildlife. This spontaneous moment captures that paradox: progress requires space, but at what cost to nature? No bait was used – just a fleeting encounter between a bird and a modern-day monoculture.
Urban Birds - Silver Award
Photographer: Tom
Image title: Urban Incubator
Location: Brno, Czech Republic
Bird: Eurasian Jay, Garrulus glandarius
Technical details: Nikon Z 8 with Nikon Z 180–600mm F5. 6–6. 3 lens. 250mm| 1/20 sec | F7. 1 | ISO 1000
Caption: Eurasian Jays are not generally thought of as urban birds but can sometimes be found in parks and gardens. They almost always build their nests in trees, avoiding artificial structures – so when a friend reported finding a jay’s nest inside (!) a streetlamp I considered it a joke; the Eurasian Jay is not a hole nester. Yet I could not resist checking it out and to my amazement the nest was real. I waited for the ‘blue hour’ to combine the warm light from the lamp with the cold colours of this unique nest’s surroundings before taking this photo.
Conservation (Single Image) - Gold Award
Photographer: Sarthak Agrawal / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Radiographing
Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
Bird: Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Hierococcyx varius
Technical details: Nikon D5600 with Nikon 18–55mm F3. 5-5. 6 lens. 18mm | 1/60 sec | F5. 6 | ISO 320
Caption: This pictured is of an injured juvenile Common Hawk-Cuckoo that had been rescued after being hit by a vehicle in the city. The bird had taken shelter under a parked car before being rescued by the ManwithIndies Foundation and sent for treatment under the forest department’s guidance. To assess the damage to its wings, a radiograph was
obtained after anesthetising the bird. Common Hawk-Cuckoos are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of smaller urban birds like sunbirds, prinias, and tailorbirds. While these smaller birds have adapted well to urban environments, the much larger hawk-cuckoo struggles to navigate and survive. Every year, several cuckoo chicks are found under similar circumstances, and foundations like ManwithIndies rescue many of them.
Conservation (Single Image) - Silver Award
Photographer: Charlotte Keast / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Trapped
Location: Entebbe, Uganda
Bird: Shoebill, Baleniceps rex
Technical details: Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 14-35mm F4 lens. 14mm | 1/2500 | F4 | ISO 160
Caption: In heartbreaking contrast to its wild peers, this Shoebill stork is confined in a small dirty cage in a zoo in Entebbe, Uganda. Known for their solitary and elusive nature, Shoebills thrive in vast wetlands, hunting in silence and flying gracefully over open landscapes. Here, trapped behind glass for the entire day and on full display to the public, this majestic bird is deprived of space to fly, hunt or retreat from the constant gaze of visitors. Just a few miles away its wild counterparts enjoy the freedom of Uganda’s marshes – a stark reminder of the unnatural conditions that captivity imposes on such extraordinary creatures.
12-14 Years - Gold Award
Photographer: Harry Sedin / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Jewel of the Forest
Location: Haleakal
Bird: ‘I‘iwi, Drepanis coccinea
Technical details: Canon EOS R7 with Canon EF 100–400mm F5. 6–8 lens. 400mm | 1/320 sec | F8 | ISO 1000
Caption: Haleakaling on a sunlit bush. With harsh light and no clouds above us, I underexposed the shot, creating a black background that made the
bird’s scarlet feathers glow. The altitude may have made me miss out on a Short-eared Owl, but it gave me the perfect opportunity to capture Hawaii’s iconic honeycreeper in stunning contrast.
11 and Under - Gold Award
Photographer: Sasha Jumanca / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image title: Graceful Flight Over Wild Bloom
Location: Mahmudia, Romania
Bird: European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster
Technical details: Nikon Z 9 with Nikon Z 600mm F4 lens. 600mm | 1/4000 sec | F4 | ISO 1250
Caption: While exploring the Danube Delta in Romania this summer, I discovered a European Bee-eater colony in a nesting clihrough the air. After many attempts, I finally captured this bird in flight, its wings fully spread, showing the beautiful colours of its feathers in great harmony with the flowers.
. dpreview.com2025-10-4 20:32
