Jack Zhi watched as a Peregrine Falcon fledgling practiced its rudimentary hunting skills in the skies of Southern California. And then, after a week of practice, the young bird of prey snatched a butterfly mid-flight. In that moment, Zhi snapped a photograph.
Category: Bird Behaviour. SILVER AWARD WINNER.
This Peregrine Falcon fledgling had been flying for over a week and his skills had improved by the day. While he still took food from parents, he had started to practise his hunting skills. He was not good enough to catch live birds in the air yet, so he took baby steps by chasing a fluttering butterfly. He was certainly much faster than the butterfly and also nimble enough to keep up with it. Look at the concentration! He was successful on occasion, caught the butterfly, played with it for a second, then released it. I have been photographing peregrines for years, and this was the first time I have seen fledglings play with butterflies. Credit: Jack Zhi, United States/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
The resulting image (seen above) captured the fierce concentration of the falcon, focused intently on the flittering butterfly. “[The fledgling] was successful on occasion, caught the butterfly, played with it for a second, then released it,” Zhi said. “I have been photographing peregrines for years, and this was the first time I have seen fledglings play with butterflies.” The image took the silver award in the Bird Behaviour category of the 2024 Bird Photography of the Year contest.
More than 23,000 images from photographers around the world were submitted across eight categories as part of this year’s awards. The prestigious title Bird Photographer of Year went to photographer Patricia Homonylo of Canada for her stirring image titled “When Worlds Collide” (seen below). The photographs shows more than 4,000 dead birds, all victims of run-ins with windows and other reflective surfaces in urban areas.
Category: Conservation (Single Image). GOLD AWARD WINNER AND BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024
Each year during spring and fall migration over 1.3 billion birds die in North America as a result of window collisions. A network of dedicated volunteers heads out each morning to pick up the pieces. For over 30 years FLAP (Fatal Light Awareness Program) volunteers have patrolled cities worldwide in search of birds that have collided with windows. While their efforts have saved an impressive number of bird collision survivors, the majority do not survive the impact. But the fallen birds are never left behind. Their bodies are collected and their lives honoured in the annual ‘Bird Layout’. The Layout brings volunteers together to arrange the dead birds in an emotive and provocative display. While The Layout honours the fallen birds and brings closure for the volunteers, it is also a critical event that raises public awareness and highlights a global issue. I have volunteered with FLAP for four years and attend The Layout annually. From hawks to hummingbirds, this 2022 display includes more than 4,000 birds. Credit: Patricia Seaton Homonylo, Canada/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
Entries for the 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year are now open to photographers of all skill levels and backgrounds. (To see images in their full, stunning glory, click to expand.)
Category: Birds in the Environment. SILVER AWARD WINNER.
In autumn 2022 I had the chance to visit the Falkland Islands. During my last days on the islands, I found an area along a beach where Gentoo Penguins surf in the waves when coming back from their hunting dives. After many attempts I got exactly the image I was hoping for. Not too long ago, people used to wipe out whole colonies of Gentoo Penguins and others of their kind. Their eggs were a food source, but the birds themselves were prized because of their layer of fat, which was used to render oil for lighting. Credit: Levi Fitze, Switzerland/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
Category: Birds in the Environment. GOLD AWARD WINNER.
Here we see a trio of Northern Gannets diving into the ocean on a sunny day in Shetland. The species is Scotland’s largest seabird, and they are remarkably adept in the water, with the ability to dive to depths as far as 22 metres. I took this photo while scuba diving from a boat near Noss, which is home to the UK’s seventh largest colony of Northern Gannets. In the past the population has been estimated at around 25,000 birds, though their numbers were unfortunately severely reduced by the avian flu outbreak. It is unclear when, or if, their population will be able to recover. Dead herring from a local herring fishery were used to attract the birds to the boat. Credit: Kat Zhou, United States/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
Category: Comedy Bird Photo. SILVER AWARD WINNER.
This image shows an Eastern Screech-Owl as it leans out of a ‘window’ of its home. These tiny owls are common in Florida’s densely populated areas. On my way to work one day I spotted a dead palm tree in Clearwater that had likely looking holes in its trunk. Later that day I checked again and spotted this owl peeking out of it. During nesting season, Eastern Screech- Owls often use premade holes in trees as their nesting cavity. Credit: Robert Gloeckner, United States//Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
Category: Comedy Bird Photo. BRONZE AWARD WINNER.
We were on a safari, and returning to camp in Sabi Sands, South Africa, on a dark March evening. We stopped, having picked up some unusual sounds, although unsure what they were. Then we heard chattering and fluttering high above us. When illuminated with the lamp on the vehicle, we saw these helmetshrikes huddling together against a night that was starting to turn colder. Another wonderful experience in Africa! Credit: Gary Collyer, United Kingdom/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
Category: Comedy Bird Photo. GOLD AWARD WINNER.
I was sitting on a Zodiac next to my husband and 10-year-old son near Brown Bluff, Antarctica, when we spotted a group of Adélie Penguins on some sea ice. As we slowly approached them, they started to toboggan on the ice, and I captured one of them sliding as if performing a modern dance move. Credit: Nadia Haq, United States/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
Category: Bird Behaviour. BRONZE AWARD WINNER.
I was at Volunteer Point on the Falkland Islands in January 2023 when I noticed a Southern Sea Lion patrolling along the beach trying to catch penguins. This individual has been there for several years and, in this picture, it is a Magellanic Penguin that faces the underwater threat. The photograph shows that sea lion attacking from underwater in an attempt to capture the penguin on the crest of the wave. In the event, it was successful and this Southern Sea Lion had penguin for breakfast that day. Credit: Tom Schandy, Norway/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024 Tom Schandy
Category: Birds in Flight. GOLD AWARD WINNER.
A Eurasian Hoopoe took flight with its wings spread in a smooth motion across the canvas of the early-morning sky illuminated by the sunrise’s bright hues. I saw that this bird would occasionally grab its prey in the air and other times on the ground. Additionally, I noticed that each time it caught prey, it flew in the same direction to a nearby tree. That was when I had the idea to photograph the bird against a background divided into dark and light, representing the contrasting sides of existence. The following morning, I returned to the same spot well before sunrise, eager to witness nature’s spectacle unfold once again. Anticipation heightened as the first rays of light bathed the landscape, and, true to my expectations, the hoopoe appeared in the distance, gliding gracefully towards the perch that was familiar from the previous day. With my camera poised and settings adjusted, I commenced capturing the unfolding scene. Among the flurry of clicks, I chanced upon a frame that resonated deeply with me – a moment frozen in time, brimming with unique charm. It was as if nature had bestowed upon me a gift, a singular composition that encapsulates the essence of the hoopoe’s beauty and grace. Indeed, many have remarked that this frame is a marvel that cannot be replicated – a testament to the serendipitous wonders that await those who seek them amid the natural world. Credit: Hermis Haridas, India/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
Category: Best Portrait. SILVER AWARD WINNER.
I conceived the idea for this image some time ago, but each time I attempted to turn it into reality one of the elements was not right. It felt like I was in a creative rut and I had not taken an image I was really happy with for a while. On this particular morning, I decided to return to this idea out of desperation. I spotted my local Mute Swans in their usual spot, preening in the morning light. Fortunately, it was also a crisp morning, and the mist was slowly descending, creating a soft morning glow. After so many attempts, everything finally came together when a swan swam into the perfect spot. Finally, I created the image I had pictured in my mind. Credit: Samual Stone, United Kingdom/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024 Samual C Stone
Category: Bird Behaviour. GOLD AWARD WINNER
In early March 2023, the remains of an American Black Bear were discovered by hikers along a rushing mountain stream in West Virginia. It was very clear from the large patches of missing fur that the bear had died after a battle with mange. After being informed of the carcass and securing permission, I set up a DSLR camera trap that took images of all the animals that came in to investigate and scavenge off the bear. The set-up remained in place for six months. As the weather warmed in spring, this Turkey Vulture became a frequent visitor, sometimes spending hours at the carcass. Credit: Nathaniel Peck, United States/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
Category: Urban Birds. SILVER AWARD WINNER.
The owner of this apartment installed a nest box between the flowerbeds on his terrace, and Common Kestrels found it a suitable home. Kestrels have become urbanised due to the abundance of food in cities and the presence of tall buildings which are used for nesting. By installing similar nest boxes, we can create further favourable conditions for them. I used a wide-angle lens to take several pictures, which I then stitched together to create a panorama. As a result, you can see the urban environment behind the birds. Credit: Boldizsár Szűcs, Hungary/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024
Category: Urban Birds. GOLD AWARD WINNER.
Goosanders breed in the park about 1 kilometre from Poland’s life-giving River Vistula. Each mother has to move her brood to the river as quickly as possible due to lack of food and safety in the park. They make the journey through a series of underground passages and over a six-lane highway. Each year a group of volunteers help them cross this deadly road by stopping the traffic. After crossing they arrive at the River Vistula where they can feed and grow. This image shows a mother Goosander crossing a smaller road because she decided not to use the scary and dark underground passage below it. Credit: Grzegorz Długosz, Poland/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024 GRZEGORZ DLUGOSZ
