Gold: Birds in Flight. Bird Photographer of the Year 2025.

The Frigatebird and the Diamond Ring, Mexico. ‘After well over a year of planning, my dream of capturing a bird in front of a total solar eclipse finally came true. Totality was due to last almost 4.5 minutes, and I had enlisted the help of a boat to position myself near some islets off Mazatlán that were frequented by seabirds. As the moon uncovered the sun’s edge at the end of totality, I captured this magnificent frigatebird in front of the spectacular eclipse phase known as the “diamond ring”, a moment that lasts just seconds.’

Photograph: Liron Gertsman

Gold: 15-17 years. Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2025.

Minimalist. ‘I took this photo during the biggest trip of my life, which was to central America, 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.’

Photograph: Tomasz Michalski

Gold: Best Portrait.

Bloody Petrel, Falkland Islands. ‘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. Once heavily persecuted for their oil, their populations have rebounded thanks to conservation efforts, although they still face threats from fishing practices and climate change.’

Photograph: Steffen Foerster

Portrait: Bronze.

Snowstorm. ‘I was photographing a small flock of Alpine choughs at 2,300 metres in the Swiss Alps when the temperature dropped to a biting -10C and the wind whipped snow across the ground in swirling gusts. Yet the choughs, perfectly adapted to these harsh conditions, seemed completely unfazed as they hopped around, searching for scraps left behind by tourists. I loved watching them as they flew and moved through the blizzard in a truly elegant way.’

Photograph: Luca Lorenz

Bronze: Conservation Single Image.

Vanishing Species, India. ‘The greater adjutant is a near threatened species with a population of fewer than 1,500 mature individuals left in the wild. It was very sad to see such a rare bird struggling for food at this rubbish dump.’

Photograph: Hira Punjabi

Gold: Black and White.

The Giant. ‘Using a wide-angle lens, I photographed a shag taking off on the Norwegian island of Hornøya. In the image it looks like a gigantic bird flying over all the others, but in reality the bird is flying very close to the lens and therefore appears much larger. Because of the very small aperture, the sun is captured as a star through the blades of the lens. The conversion to black and white reinforces the confusing perspective, as the details are hard to see and it is more difficult to determine the birds’ relative size.’

Photograph: Jannik Jansons

Bird Behaviour: Silver.

King of the Forest, Switzerland. ‘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!’

Photograph: Mateusz Piesiak

Silver: Birds in the Environment.

Structures. ‘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.’

Photograph: Levi Fitze

Gold: Bird Behaviour.

Angel or Demon, Italy. ‘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. 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.’

Photograph: Francesco Guffanti

Bronze: Black and White.

On My Own, Singapore. ‘I was watching this fledgling buffy fish owl perched in a tree when heavy rain began to fall. It flew down to a low, unlit street light. The bird remained quite still, its feathers drenched by the rain, but occasionally shook itself vigorously, sending water droplets flying in all directions. This moment captured the resilience of wildlife enduring unpredictable weather.’

Photograph: Jim Lee

Bronze: Birds in Flight.

Overflight. ‘It was January and nature had created some very interesting shapes in the saline lakes near Akasztó in Hungary. I sent up my drone and was looking for the right composition when a dozen geese suddenly flew into view. I immediately started taking photos and luckily everything fell into place – the composition as well as the geese.’

Photograph: Tibor Litauszki

Gold: Birds in the Environment.

Feasting at Sunset. ‘Los Islotes is the southernmost breeding site of the Californian sea lion in the northern hemisphere, but it is a wonderfully wild place for many other reasons. I was fascinated by the extraordinary skills 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.’

Photograph: Franco Banfi

Gold: Creative Perspectives.

Photo Art, Italy. ‘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.’

Photograph: Philipp Egger

Gold: 11 and Under.

Graceful Flight Over Wild Bloom, Romania. ‘I discovered a European Bee-eater colony in a nesting cliff where the birds were tirelessly chasing prey for their chicks nestled in the burrows. The birds were flying over a field of wildflowers, whose colours beautifully mirrored the bee-eaters’ plumage. I was captivated by their agility as they swiftly changed speed and direction, tracking insects through 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.’

Photograph: Sasha Jumanca

Silver: Conservation Single Image.

Trapped. ‘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.’

Photograph: Charlotte Keast

Bronze: Bird Behaviour.

Swollen Chest, Israel. ‘When a male Asian houbara (also known as Macqueen’s bustard) performs his courtship dance, he puffs out his beautiful white breast feathers and starts running around, usually in a prominent place – all in order to attract a mate. This bustard is normally very shy and difficult to see due to its wonderfully cryptic plumage. For many years I have dreamed of photographing a bustard dancing in the desert and finally, with a lot of patience and a stroke of luck, I managed to approach one slowly until I got close enough to capture him strutting his stuff.’

Photograph: Chen Ein-Dor

Gold: Urban Birds.

Feathered on Panels. ‘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.’

Photograph: Alex Pansier

Silver: Creative Perspectives.

Landing in a Sea of Swans. ‘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.’

Photograph: Andreas Hemb

Bronze: Urban Birds.

Sainte Trinité. ‘This disused French chapel was occupied by barn owls who had no flat surfaces on which they could nest. So I installed a nest box inside and was surprised and delighted when, a year-and-a-half later, a pair settled in and bred successfully. The photo was taken from my hide tent at dusk, the light coming from the street lamps that had just been turned on.’

Photograph: Benoit Henrion

Silver: Best Portrait.

Voice of the Ash Forest, Canada. ‘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.’

Photograph: Maxime Legare-Vezina

Gold: Conservation Single Image.

Radiographing, India. ‘This is 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 anaesthetising the bird. Every year, several cuckoo chicks are found under similar circumstances, and foundations like ManwithIndies rescue many of them.’

Photograph: Sarthak Agrawal

Gold: 12-14 Years.

Jewel of the Forest, Hawaii. ‘Haleakalā national park is infamous for altitude sickness, but visiting it led me to an unforgettable moment. Flashes of red flickered through the trees, three to four ‘I‘iwi landing 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.’

Photograph: Tomasz Michalsk

Bronze: Creative Perspectives.

Under Your Nose, Singapore. ‘A buffy fish owl perched atop a street light, a frequent spot from which these birds hunt. The contrast between the dark night sky and the bright light results in the owl going unnoticed by most passersby. To capture a unique perspective, I positioned myself directly beneath the bird. The lamp post serves as a leading line, drawing attention to the owl centred in the frame. The street light and treetop branches create a striking blend of urban and natural elements, highlighting the owl’s adaptability to urban life.’

Photograph: Jim Lee

Silver: Black and White.

Black and White Swan, Queensland, Australia. ‘At 13, 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.’

Photograph: Raoul Slater

Silver: Birds in Flight.

Through the Marigold, India. ‘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.’

Photograph: Baiju Patil