Bird Photography and Art

Earlier this year, we invited photographers to submit their best work for consideration in the BirdWatching Photography Awards 2020 competition. More than 1,230 photos poured in, from hundreds of applicants. Over the past few weeks, the judges have been combing through the entries and we are now ready to announce the finalists and honorable mention…

Drum roll please! After receiving over 1,230 submissions to our 2020 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition, we are ready to announce the finalists (below) and honorable mention images. Next week we will reveal the three winners. The following slideshow features the 14 finalists, including images of puffins, penguins, burrowing owls, hummingbirds and more. Appreciate! Emperor penguin…

© 2019 Derrick Jackson Derrick Jackson is the third winner of the 2020 BirdWatching Photography Awards with this full-frontal photo of an Atlantic puffin with a beak full of fish. He took the photo on July 14, 2019, on Eastern Egg Rock, Maine, an island in Muscongus Bay. This is one of the sites where…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Pam Jenks of Canmore, Alberta, won second place in the 2020 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition with this striking photo of a northern goshawk eating a male wood duck. She took the photo in her snowy backyard on April 15, 2020. “This…

© 2019 Sha Lu Sha Lu of Los Altos, California, won first place in the 2020 BirdWatching Photography Awards with this photo of a prey exchange between white-tailed kites. Sha captured the image on March 23, 2019 at Shoreline Lake Park in Mountain View, California. The park is near the southern edge of San Francisco…

The slideshow below features 10 winning photographs from the 2020 Audubon Photography Awards, presented by the National Audubon Society. The winning entries were selected from more than 6,000 entries from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and seven Canadian provinces and territories. The eleventh year of the competition awarded images in four divisions: Professional, Amateur, Youth…

An impressionistic image of European Cormorants by Majed AlZa’abi from Kuwait has won first prize in the 2020 Bird Photographer of the Year competition, organized by UK-based conservation charity Birds on the Brink. Majed wins the first prize of £5,000 (approximately $6,500) and the title of “Bird Photographer of the Year 2020”. Majed’s image was…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The instant image feedback of digital cameras and the lighter weight of many current telephoto lenses have prompted many birders to take camera equipment into the field. And many of them practice bird photography in their backyard. Your garden bird feeders…

Our readers continually impress us with their bird photos. They submit images to our photo contests, post them in our online galleries, and send us stunning photos for the magazine’s “Your Point of View” section, our regular collection of reader photos. In our July/August 2020 issue, we filled “Your View” with a dozen photos featuring…

Editor’s Note: In the May/June 2018 issue of BirdWatching magazine, we published “America’s Serengeti,” a photo essay by Malkolm Boothroyd featuring birds (and other wildlife) from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge , the vast 19.6 million-acre wilderness of northeast Alaska. It is the largest wildlife refuge in the United States and is home to more…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The howling northeast wind was both haunting and comforting, a familiar reminder that late spring weather along the mid-Atlantic coast could be calming one day and threatening the next. Covering the darkness of night with an envelope of sound, volatile currents…

Our friends at the UK-based Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) competition are seeing firsthand the growing pressures on bird populations around the world. Therefore, if bird photography is to thrive and not become, metaphorically speaking, a dying art, we all need to do our part to reverse the decline of bird species and support…

Our Color of Birds 2020 contest attracted many great images. We are pleased to present this slideshow of honorable mention photos, featuring hummingbirds, toucans and many other birds. Appreciate! Skittled Toucan by Edward Munoz Edward Munoz photographed this keeled toucan near Lago del Lagarto Lodge in Boca Tapada, Costa Rica. “The lodge is in the…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Ken Archer of Twin Falls, Idaho is the third winner of our 2020 Color of the Birds contest with this photograph of a White-naped Jacobin spreading his tail during a rain shower. Ken took the photo in February 2015 at the…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Philip Witt from Somerset, New Jersey won second place in our 2020 Color of Birds contest with this stunning image of a scarlet macaw. The bird was drinking from a layer of clay near the Napo River in Ecuador. He took…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Bob Graham of Kingsville, Ontario won first place in our 2020 Color of the Birds contest with this photo of a male Orange-breasted Sparrow. The species is endemic to western Mexico. Bob and his wife are retired and spend most of…

As difficult as 2020 has been for millions, birdwatching has been a welcome distraction and, for many, a new passion to help us through the dark days. Bird photography is arguably more important today, to show the world the incredible diversity and beauty of birds, and we at Bird watching we are blessed to be…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Few experiences ignite a birder’s passion more than a first encounter with a new species or the discovery of a previously seen bird in a new or unexpected place. The thrill of these spontaneous sightings and the anticipation of the next…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email When winter arrives, it’s tempting to leave your camera in your bag, make yourself comfortable in front of the wood stove and leaf through travel catalogs for birding trips to the tropics! But don’t let the cold keep you inside. Winter…

Our 2020 Bird Portrait competition attracted hundreds of fantastic images. We are pleased to present this slideshow of 12 honorable mention photos, featuring the Bald Eagle, Great Snowy Egret, Great Reddish Egret and Northern Hawk Owl. Appreciate! Double-crested Cormorant by Stan Bysshe “The Green Cay Nature Center is a well-known wetland in Boynton Beach, Florida,”…

End of 2020, Bird watching received over 700 photos submitted by hundreds of photographers to our Bird Portrait contest. Thank you to everyone who participated! The selection of images was excellent, as have all of our previous contests. The judges had a difficult task! Today, we are proud to present to you the 12 finalist…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Vaughn Larsen of Littleton, Colorado is the third winner of our 2020 Bird Portrait Contest with this stunning portrait of a wood duck he took at Sterne Park in Littleton in October 2020. “The sunrise light off the fall foliage reflects…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Steve Wolfe of Portal, Arizona won second place Bird watchingBird Portrait Contest 2020 with this flawless photo of a male Elegant Trogon. He took the photo in December 2017 at one of the best birding spots in the lower 48 states:…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Congratulations to Andy Raupp of Pingree Grove, Illinois for winning first place in our 2020 Bird Portrait Contest with this amazing photo of a Cedar Waxwing. Andy took the photo “on a cold winter morning in our northern Illinois suburban neighborhood,”…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email For me, there is nothing more exciting in bird photography than sitting in a photo awning and listening to the gentle sound of running water. When spring rolls around, I know that beautiful sound will bring with it the birds I…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email This year, Olympus expanded the scope of the Micro Four Thirds format with the January launch of the professional M.Zuiko 150-400mm F4.5 super telephoto lens. It offers a reach equal to a 300mm to 800mm equivalent zoom on a full-frame 35mm…

Yesterday, April 19, an adult bald eagle was found entangled in a fence in a field in northern Virginia. Certified wildlife rehabilitators from the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in Millwood, Va., retrieved the bird from the fence and cared for it at their facility. The bird was exhausted but lucky. He had only minor injuries…

German researchers say the “most Instagrammable” family of birds are frogmouths – a group of 14 nocturnal species characterized by large eyes, flat, wide beaks and a frog-like opening. They occur in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Write in the journal i-PerceptionKatja Thömmes and Gregor Hayn-Leichsenring said the top showing the frog’s mouth “seems like…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email During my bird photography workshops and tours, the question I get asked most often is, “Hey Rick, what’s your f-stop?” Basically, photographers ask me for my camera settings: ISO, aperture and shutter speed. I answer with a smile: “What is your…

This week, the National Audubon Society named the winning photographs and videos for the 2021 Audubon Photography Awards, with eight awards across five divisions. In year 12, winning entries and honorable mentions emerged from 2,416 entrants from all 50 states, Washington DC and 10 Canadian provinces and territories. For the first time, the competition awarded…

Last spring we held our latest photo competition, the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards, here on our website. We received over 770 entries – images of owls, eagles, hummingbirds, cranes and passerines, among others – from hundreds of photographers. Thank you to everyone who participated! The selection of images was stellar, as all of our previous…

Last spring we held our latest photo competition, the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards, here on our website. We received over 770 entries – images of owls, eagles, hummingbirds, cranes and passerines, among others – from hundreds of photographers. Thank you to everyone who participated! The selection of images was stellar, as all of our previous…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email William Parker Teed won third place in the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards with this beautiful shot of roseate spoonbills standing on the beach in Fort Myers on Florida’s Gulf Coast. He photographed the idyllic scene in August 2016. A few of…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Tina McManus’ July 2018 visit to Crane Beach, a 1,234-acre conservation area in Ipswich, Massachusetts, produced the second photo for the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards: this portrait of a lesser tern and her hungry chick. “Least Terns are one of my…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Kathy McCulloch Wade, of Lake Forest Park, Washington, won first place at the 2021 BirdWatching Photography Awards with this stunning image of a short-eared owl facing a northern harrier, which faces away from the camera. She took the photo in mid-March…

After more than 22,000 images submitted, the winners of the Bird Photographer of the Year 2021 competition were announced this week. We wrote about the grand prize winner, a photo of a Greater Roadrunner stopped at the US-Mexico border wall and the young winner here. Below is a slideshow of the gold and silver winning…

Earlier this year, we held our first photo contest focused solely on images of birds in flight, the 2021 Birds in Flight contest, here on our website. We received over 825 entries – images of bald eagles, ospreys, blue jays, burrowing owls, hummingbirds, among others – from hundreds of photographers. Thank you to everyone who…

A few days ago we revealed the finalists for our Birds in Flight 2021 Photo Contest, and now the winners have also been announced (see links below). We also want to share several other entries in this contest that we really liked: the 16 honorable mention images. Thank you to everyone who submitted over 825…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Mike Dowsett won third place in our Birds in Flight 2021 competition with this extraordinary image of an osprey carrying a fish. Dowsett is originally from England and now lives in southern Michigan. He took the photo in August 2018 at…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The second place winner of our 2021 Birds in Flight competition is Ed Hughes, with this photo of an Eastern Flycatcher attacking a much larger Great Egret. He took the photo in June 2018 in a small pond in his hometown…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Third place in our 2021 Bird Portrait Contest goes to Tina McManus from Beverly, Massachusetts, for her photo of a Piping Plover with a dozing chick under its wing feathers. McManus took the photo in June 2020 on a beach near…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The second winner of BirdWatching’s 2021 Bird Portrait Contest is Dennis Stogsdill of Chappaqua, New York. He took this close-up photo of a southern ground hornbill’s face and especially its eyelashes in September 2021 in the Mara Triangle area of ​​Kenya’s…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Karen Griggs Winchester of North Port, Florida won first place in BirdWatching’s 2021 Bird Portrait Contest with this stunning photo of Sandhill Crane foals resting on their mother’s back while being sheltered by her wings. She photographed the moment in mid-March…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The breeding season for waterfowl offers wonderful opportunities for action shots of ducks, geese and swans, depending on where you live and the species that nest near you. One of my most memorable experiences with breeding waterfowl was one year in…

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, home to an annual wildlife show of wintering sandhill cranes, snow geese and other birds, last December hosted a photography workshop organized by Canon USA, Inc. The Canon team live-streamed the event, which was hosted by Canon Explorer of Light and wildlife photographer Charles Glatzer and…

Last fall, we called for entries for our first-ever Backyard and City Bird Photo Contest, here on our website. Bird photographers captured more than 600 images taken in yards, parks and other urban and suburban locations. Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest! Below is a slideshow of our 12 honorable mention images….

At the end of 2021, we called for entries for our first-ever Backyard and City Bird Contest, here on our website. Bird photographers captured more than 600 images taken in yards, parks and other urban and suburban locations. Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest! Entries included images of owls, hummingbirds, cardinals, jays,…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email The photo above by Glenn Ostle of Charlotte, North Carolina won third place in BirdWatching’s 2021 Backyard and City Bird Photo Contest. “Since we live in North Carolina, we have a lot of Carolina Wrens in our backyard,” Ostle explains. “They…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Meryl Lorenzo from Bayville, New York won second place in our 2021 Backyard and City Bird Photo Contest with this photo of a hungry hummingbird. The sharp, detailed look of the photo as a tiny ruby-throated hummingbird fed on a much…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Maureen Hills-Urbat of Rockyview County, Alberta is the winner of our first backyard and city bird photo contest with this image of bickering blue jays. “We are very lucky to live in the foothills west of Calgary, Alberta and have a…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email If you haven’t paid attention to new photo products in a while, now is the time. Over the past 12 to 18 months, digital mirrorless photography has come into its own. There’s no denying that for the first time ever, DSLR…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Stan Bysshe of Marshall, Virginia wins third place in our 2022 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition with this spectacular shot of a bald eagle in an Alaskan snowstorm. “Winter weather in Kachemac Bay, Alaska can change in a minute,” Stan writes. “On…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Danielle Rockett of Ottawa, Ontario wins second place in our 2022 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition with this image of a great horned owl and her young owl in their nest. “Every year, at the end of December, a couple of Great…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Jim Burns of Scottsdale, Arizona is the winner of our 2022 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition with this remarkable photo of a fight between a Gilded Flicker and a European Starling. He took the photo in the Tonto National Forest in Maricopa…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Last winter, at the tender age of 71, I underwent a procedure that would have a major impact on my life: total knee replacement surgery. My previously stiff and painful arthritic knee has improved dramatically and I’ve pretty much returned to…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Third place in our Birds in Flight 2022 contest goes to Rebecca DePorte from Princeton, New Jersey. In mid-April 2022, Rebecca observed a barred owl at Blue Cypress Lake in Vero Beach, Florida. “Suddenly three grackles appeared and started flying towards…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email First place in our 2022 Birds in Flight contest goes to Steve Large of Nanaimo, BC, for this crisp image of a Yellow-rumped Warbler with its wings outstretched and flared tail. Steve took the photo in May 2022 at Oliver Woods…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Of all the raptor species pursued by photographers, the osprey, also aptly known as the “fish hawk,” is perhaps the most exhilarating to observe in flight. It is also one of the most difficult to photograph when in flight. By far…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Derrick Z. Jackson of Cambridge, Massachusetts, describes this puffin photo, which took third place in our 2022 bird portrait contest, as a “happy composition on Eastern Egg Rock, Maine.” “It’s a row of puffins along granite boulders with a wave crashing…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Second place in our 2022 Bird Portrait Contest goes to John Economaki from Lake Oswego, Oregon. He took this incredible shot at sunrise on Nickerson Beach in Long Island, New York, a place where lesser terns breed. “That chick was left…

Share this: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print this article Share by email Dustin Huntington won first place in BirdWatching’s 2022 Bird Portrait Contest with this remarkable image of a Calliope hummingbird he photographed from the patio of his home in Tijeras, New Mexico. “I had set up to photograph the various hummingbirds up…

Bird‘s-eye views provide an aerial perspective of the world, whether seen from an airplane or standing atop a tall tower. Bird’s-eye views can reveal hidden beauty that often goes unseen at ground level. For instance, large parks and squares can become circular from above while vegetation takes on unique geometric forms. What is a bird’s-eye…