What a magnificent flock of photos.
With over 22,000 entries, the Bird Photographer of the Year winners have been revealed. Celebrating the beauty of birdlife from all around the globe, talented photographers have captured some of the most incredible images in the world.
Alejandro Prieto, a photographer from Mexico, won the prestigious title of Bird Photographer of the Year with his photograph titled Blocked. Prieto took home the £5,000 prize for his brilliant photo of a roadrunner staring at the barbed-wire border wall between Mexico and the USA. This photo also won the Gold Award in the Birds in the Environment category.
“Prieto’s image immediately caught the attention of the judges. It is not your typical bird photo, and the story behind the image is so strong,” said Will Nicholls, Director of Bird Photographer of the Year. “The roadrunner appears so vulnerable facing up to the huge border wall that dominates the frame.”
The competition has been running since 2016 and showcases the beauty of birds.
Conservation is at the organisation’s heart, as they established the charity Birds on the Brink that helps supports bird conservation projects globally.
The eight categories are: Best Portrait, Birds in the Environment, Attention to Detail, Bird Behaviour, Birds in Flight, Black and White, Urban Birds, and Creative Imagery. There is also a Portfolio Award and a Conservation Award.
Scroll through some of the winning photos.
Bronze winner, category: Birds in the Environment
Silver winner, category: Birds in the Environment
Silver winner, category: Attention to Detail
Gold winner, category: Attention to Detail
Bronze winner, category: Attention to Detail
Gold winner, category: Best Portrait
Bronze winner, category: Best Portrait
“When I looked at the photo afterwards, it gave me goosebumps,” the photographer says.
Silver winner, category: Best Portrait.
Gold winner, category: Behaviour
Bronze winner, category: Bird Behaviour
Silver winner, category: Bird Behavior Category
“I had long dreamt of a shot like this one that would allow to see the expressions of the two subjects – predator and prey,” explains the photographer.
Gold winner, category: Birds in Flight
Gold winner, category: Black and White
Silver winner, category: Urban Birds
Gold winner, category: Creative Imagery
“The concept for this picture came to me spontaneously when I was editing photographs of a Common Kingfisher,” the photographer said. “To create the image, I cut out a close-up of a kingfisher, then looked for a photogenic tin of fish and used the bread as a perch for the bird.”
Silver winner, category: Creative Imagery
“My aim was to depict the fluid-like movement of a murmuration and capture its essence,” the photographer said. “I am interested in transient moments when chaos briefly changes to order. Here, I’ve captured the flock’s swirls, twists and turns, forming shapes like funnels and tornadoes as the birds seek a suitable spot in which to land.”
Which photo is your favourite?
