Photography

The top-flight winners of the 2020 Bird Photographer of the Year

The top-flight winners of the 2020 Bird Photographer of the Year
Silver, Birds in Flight. Touch and Go. Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus). Athens, Attica, Greece
Silver, Birds in Flight. Touch and Go. Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus). Athens, Attica, Greece
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Winner, Inspirational Encounters Award. Homecoming. Providence Petrel (Pterodroma solandri). Lord Howe Island, Australia
1/29
Winner, Inspirational Encounters Award. Homecoming. Providence Petrel (Pterodroma solandri). Lord Howe Island, Australia
Overall Winner. Gold, Best Portrait. End of the Day. European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis). Vardø, Norway
2/29
Overall Winner. Gold, Best Portrait. End of the Day. European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis). Vardø, Norway
Winner, Best Portfolio. Pacific Gull Blur. Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus). Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia
3/29
Winner, Best Portfolio. Pacific Gull Blur. Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus). Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia
Young Bird Photographer of the Year Winner, Ages 0 - 8. Asian Green Bee-Eater Pair. Asian Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis). Chennai, India
4/29
Young Bird Photographer of the Year Winner, Ages 0 - 8. Asian Green Bee-Eater Pair. Asian Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis). Chennai, India
Young Bird Photographer of the Year Winner, Ages 9 - 13. Back-Lighting. Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus). Grazalema, Andalusia, Spain
5/29
Young Bird Photographer of the Year Winner, Ages 9 - 13. Back-Lighting. Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus). Grazalema, Andalusia, Spain
Young Bird Photographer of the Year Winner, Age 14 to 17. Seeing Double. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor). Devon, United Kingdom
6/29
Young Bird Photographer of the Year Winner, Age 14 to 17. Seeing Double. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor). Devon, United Kingdom
Bronze, Garden and Urban Birds. Electric. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). Seville, Spain
7/29
Bronze, Garden and Urban Birds. Electric. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). Seville, Spain
Silver, Garden and Urban Birds. The Old Ship. Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). Båtsfjord, Norway
8/29
Silver, Garden and Urban Birds. The Old Ship. Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). Båtsfjord, Norway
Gold, Garden and Urban Birds. Photobombing a Game.
9/29
Gold, Garden and Urban Birds. Photobombing a Game.
Bronze, Creative Imagery. Make-Up. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta). Deqing, Zhejiang, China
10/29
Bronze, Creative Imagery. Make-Up. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta). Deqing, Zhejiang, China
Silver, Creative Imagery. Phalarope Reflections. Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). Utqiagvik, Alaska, United States of America
11/29
Silver, Creative Imagery. Phalarope Reflections. Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). Utqiagvik, Alaska, United States of America
Gold, Creative Imagery. Mandarin Abstract. Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata). South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
12/29
Gold, Creative Imagery. Mandarin Abstract. Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata). South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Bronze, Black and White. Pyrography. Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops). Gijón, Spain
13/29
Bronze, Black and White. Pyrography. Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops). Gijón, Spain
Silver, Black and White. Great Grey Owl. Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa). Nynäshamn, Stockholm, Sweden
14/29
Silver, Black and White. Great Grey Owl. Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa). Nynäshamn, Stockholm, Sweden
Gold, Black and White. Single Room Available. Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). The Netherlands
15/29
Gold, Black and White. Single Room Available. Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). The Netherlands
Bronze, Birds in the Environment. A New Beginning. Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis). Kaziranga National Park, India
16/29
Bronze, Birds in the Environment. A New Beginning. Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis). Kaziranga National Park, India
Silver, Birds in the Environment. Hawk Owl in an Mountain Forest. Northern Hawk-owl (Surnia ulula). Golsfjell mountain region, Norway
17/29
Silver, Birds in the Environment. Hawk Owl in an Mountain Forest. Northern Hawk-owl (Surnia ulula). Golsfjell mountain region, Norway
Gold, Birds in the Environment. Swifts over Iguazu Falls. Great Dusky Swift (Cypseloides senex). Iguazú Falls, Misiones, Argentina
18/29
Gold, Birds in the Environment. Swifts over Iguazu Falls. Great Dusky Swift (Cypseloides senex). Iguazú Falls, Misiones, Argentina
Bronze, Birds in Flight. Fairy Landing on Earth. Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus). Sanmenxia, Henan, China
19/29
Bronze, Birds in Flight. Fairy Landing on Earth. Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus). Sanmenxia, Henan, China
Silver, Birds in Flight. Touch and Go. Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus). Athens, Attica, Greece
20/29
Silver, Birds in Flight. Touch and Go. Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus). Athens, Attica, Greece
Gold, Birds in Flight. Hoopoe Flight At Low Speed. Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops). Israel. Gadi Shmila, Israel
21/29
Gold, Birds in Flight. Hoopoe Flight At Low Speed. Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops). Israel. Gadi Shmila, Israel
Bronze, Bird Behavior. Ropewalker. Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera). Papallacta, Ecuador
22/29
Bronze, Bird Behavior. Ropewalker. Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera). Papallacta, Ecuador
Silver, Bird Behavior. Feeding Frenzy. Cape Gannet (Morus capensis). Port St Johns, South Africa
23/29
Silver, Bird Behavior. Feeding Frenzy. Cape Gannet (Morus capensis). Port St Johns, South Africa
Gold, Bird Behavior. Nutcrackers Fighting in the Snow. Northern Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes). Sofia, Bulgaria
24/29
Gold, Bird Behavior. Nutcrackers Fighting in the Snow. Northern Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes). Sofia, Bulgaria
Bronze, Best Portrait. A Dipper in the Mirror. White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus). Levanger, Trøndelag, Norway
25/29
Bronze, Best Portrait. A Dipper in the Mirror. White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus). Levanger, Trøndelag, Norway
Silver, Best Portrait. Cormorant Underwater View. Brandt’s Cormorant (Urile penicillatus). La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
26/29
Silver, Best Portrait. Cormorant Underwater View. Brandt’s Cormorant (Urile penicillatus). La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
Silver, Attention to Detail. Rainbow of the Forest. Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata). Tikal, El Péten, Guatemala
27/29
Silver, Attention to Detail. Rainbow of the Forest. Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata). Tikal, El Péten, Guatemala
Bronze, Attention to Detail. Gannet Flower. Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus). Saltee Islands, Ireland
28/29
Bronze, Attention to Detail. Gannet Flower. Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus). Saltee Islands, Ireland
Gold, Attention to Detail. Perfect Camouflage. Eurasian Scops-owl (Otus scops). Kibbutz Hatzor, Israel
29/29
Gold, Attention to Detail. Perfect Camouflage. Eurasian Scops-owl (Otus scops). Kibbutz Hatzor, Israel
View gallery - 29 images

Launched in 2014 the Bird Photographer of the Year has quickly grown to be one of the world’s strongest bird photography contests. This year’s magnificent selection of winning images offers a deeply diverse assortment of shots, from an evocatively impressionistic grand-prize-winning photograph to a number of incredible perspectives of birds in human environments.

Collecting around 15,000 entries, this year’s contest centered on eight broad categories. Some categories, such as Best Portrait or Birds in Flight, delivered spectacular, albeit unsurprising winners, but other more unconventional themes revealed excitingly creative entries.

Bronze, Garden and Urban Birds. Electric. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). Seville, Spain
Bronze, Garden and Urban Birds. Electric. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). Seville, Spain

Birds in the Environment, and Garden & Urban Birds, showed an incredible versatility to bird photography, revealing the fascinating ways these animals use human structures to make their homes. Attention to Detail, on the other hand, offered up a category that zoomed in on the stunning textures and patterns found in bird feathers.

“The vast majority of the 15,000 images entered annually are of an amazing standard, sufficient eye-candy to feed even the most visually gluttonous,” says the judging panel, in a collective statement outlining their decisions. “But create a photograph that makes us sick with envy or cry out with uncontained excitement, then you are in with a chance. When that collective shout from the judges is ‘I wish I had taken that myself’, then you are onto a winner.”

Overall Winner. Gold, Best Portrait. End of the Day. European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis). Vardø, Norway
Overall Winner. Gold, Best Portrait. End of the Day. European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis). Vardø, Norway

The overall grand prize this year went to a vivid image taken by Kuwaiti photographer Majed AlZa’abi. Titled "End of the Day," the image was taken at Vardø in Norway and features a pair of European Shags.

“I took this shot in April 2019 while on a visit to the famous Norwegian seabird island of Vardø, a location packed full of birds that provide endless opportunities for photography,” explains Majed. “I like the out-of-focus shag framing the in-focus individual, plus the bokeh of the sea as sunset approached. By experimenting, I aimed to create artistic and impressionistic shots of shags, and I hope I achieved my goal with this image.”

Gold, Attention to Detail. Perfect Camouflage. Eurasian Scops-owl (Otus scops). Kibbutz Hatzor, Israel
Gold, Attention to Detail. Perfect Camouflage. Eurasian Scops-owl (Otus scops). Kibbutz Hatzor, Israel

Other highlights include a gorgeous sunset shot showing White Storks in nests atop electrical towers; a mind-bending shot of a camouflaged owl indistinguishable from tree bark; and a brilliant shot from a young photographer, taken with a smartphone, showing a young swan mirrored in still water.

Take a look through our gallery at more fantastic winners from the 2020 Bird Photographer of the Year competition.

Source: BPOTY

View gallery - 29 images
2 comments
2 comments
Dug
Shows what I know about art...the one I find the least interesting, End of the Day European Shag, is the overall winner.
ljaques
Loved the arrogant owl topping the pineywood tree. // The Indian blue jay checking out the fire was a wild one, too. I haven't seen that behavior before. Their jays are prettier than ours.