Five Of The Best Bird Photographers We Know
Here are some of our favorite bird photographers
Having a camera with a super high burst rate helps for sure. Bird-AF mode makes tracking birds in flight a lot easier too. But it takes more than just technical superiority to get great images of our feathered friends. These five photographers have spent years mastering their skills and avian know-how in order to be able to capture some amazing photos of birds in their natural habitat.
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Glistening green, Nicolas Reusens, Spain 🇪🇸 — Best Portrait, Gold Award! Reusens said: ‘Venturing into the tropical forest, I was excited to spot the rare Glistening-Green Tanager (Chlorochrysa Phoenicotis). After hours of waiting, I saw the vivid green bird on a perfect heart-shaped leaf. Its shimmering feathers reflected a dazzling array of colours. I captured every detail, grateful for this magical moment amid the lush jungle backdrop.’Location: Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Ecuador 🇪🇨. Photograph: Nicolas Reusens/Bird photographer of the year 2023
Grab the Bull By the Horns, Jack Zhi, US 🇺🇸 — Bird 🦅 Behaviour, Gold Award, and Overall Winner! Zhi said: ‘During the breeding season, a Female Peregrine Falcon (Falco Peregrinus) fiercely protects her young, attacking anything that comes near the nest. For four years, I attempted to capture these rare moments of her attacking large brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) with incredible speed and agility. The high-speed chase made it challenging to capture a closeup shot with a long lens. The falcon’s precision was amazing as it struck at the pelican’s head.’ Location: Southern California, US 🇺🇸. Photograph: Jack Zhi/Bird photographer of the year 2023
Flying Sword, Rafael Armada, Spain 🇪🇸 — Birds 🦅 in Flight, Gold Award! The Sword-Billed Hummingbird (Ensifera Ensifera), common in the Andean forests, has the world’s longest bill relative to its size. The bird’s unique bill, which is adapted to feed on flowers with long petals, makes it a vital pollinator as bees and butterflies cannot reach the nectar on these plants. This image captures the bird approaching a feeder, with a natural background and lighting. Location: Bogotá, Colombia 🇨🇴. Photograph: Rafael Armada/Bird photographer of the year 2023
A Mother’s Love, Qiuqing Mu, China 🇨🇳 — Bird 🦅 Behaviour, Bronze Award! Mu said: ‘A Great Grey Owl (Strix Nebulosa) adult was hunting in a wheat field, and a juvenile flew to the edge of the field to be fed. Suddenly, the parent caught some prey. I quickly pressed the shutter and captured a heartwarming moment between the parent and the next generation.’ Location: Zhejiang, China 🇨🇳. Photograph: Qiuqing Mu/Bird photographer of the year 2023
Common Nighthawk in Flight, Richard Sanchez, Cuba 🇨🇺 — Birds 🦅 in Flight, Bronze Award! Sanchez said: ‘At 10am, a Barn Owl (Tyto Alba) appeared before us and we followed it to a crop field where it began hunting. Nearby, several cooperative common nighthawks (Chordeiles Minor) circled around our vehicle. I captured a perfect shot of them in flight, though it was partly a matter of luck.’ Location: Florida, US 🇺🇸. Photograph: Richard Sanchez
A Moment of Prayer, Arto Leppänen, Finland 🇫🇮 — Urban Birds 🦅, Gold Award! Leppänen said: ‘During winter migration, owls from northern Finland often head to the south where they can find more food due to less snow. This Great Grey Owl (Strix Nebulosa) chose a cemetery with abundant voles as its hunting ground. While hunting, the owl would often stop on tombstones or other structures to observe the area. Keeping a safe distance, I followed the owl and managed to capture a fleeting moment when it landed briefly on a beautiful angel statue.’ Location: Helsinki, Finland 🇫🇮. Photograph: Arto Leppänen/Bird photographer of the year 2023
No Way Out, Antonio Aguti, Italy 🇮🇹 — Comedy Bird 🦅 Photo, Gold Award! The Purple Heron (Ardea Purpurea) is a migratory bird that nests in the lake basins of the Italian peninsula and feeds mainly on fish, although it also preys on mice, snakes, toads and other creatures. In this shot, the heron caught a large crucian carp (Carassius carassius) and swallowed it after several attempts to turn the fish on to its side. Location: Lake Chiusi, Italy 🇮🇹. Photograph: Antonio Aguti/Bird photographer of the year 2023
Parenting Goals, Thomas Vijayan, Canada 🇨🇦 — Best Portrait, Silver Award! Vijayan said: ‘Before capturing this image, I spent two days observing these [Emperor] Penguins (Aptenodytes Forsteri), lying flat on the ice to avoid scaring them. Waiting for the chick to appear, I finally got this touching shot of parental love. I trekked eight hours a day on soft snow to reach this colony and even made friends with some penguins.’ Location: Antarctica 🇦🇶. Photograph: Thomas Vijayan/Bird photographer of the year 2023
Coming Storm, Jake Levin, US 🇺🇸 — Best Portrait, Bronze Award! Levin said: ‘The best place to see Canada 🇨🇦 Jays (Perisoreus Canadensis) for those living in Montreal is across the border in upstate New York. During my winter 2022 visit to Adirondack Park, I focused on capturing this species. This image shows a jay seemingly concerned that the snow is ramping up, and rightly so, as it made driving back home a challenge.’ Location: Adirondack Park, New York, US 🇺🇸. Photograph: Bird photographer of the year 2023
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