A photo of a peregrine falcon practicing his hunting skills on a butterfly won the silver award in the bird behavior category of this year’s Bird Photographer of the Year. Taken in California, photographer Jack Zhi said that although he had been photographing peregrines for years, he had never seen them play with butterflies.
A photo of a peregrine falcon practicing his hunting skills on a butterfly won the silver award in the bird behavior category of this year’s Bird Photographer of the Year. Taken in California, photographer Jack Zhi said that although he had been photographing peregrines for years, he had never seen them play with butterflies.
Jack Zhi/Bird Photographer of the Year
Nathaniel Peck’s photograph, taken using a camera trap, of a turkey vulture feeding on the carcass of a black bear in West Virginia won the gold award in the bird behavior category. Peck said that the vulture would visit the carcass frequently during the six months that his camera remained in place, “sometimes spending hours at the carcass.”
Nathaniel Peck’s photograph, taken using a camera trap, of a turkey vulture feeding on the carcass of a black bear in West Virginia won the gold award in the bird behavior category. Peck said that the vulture would visit the carcass frequently during the six months that his camera remained in place, “sometimes spending hours at the carcass.”
Nathaniel Peck/Bird Photographer of the Year
This striking image captures a Eurasian hoopoe taking flight in the early morning, prey caught in its beak and the sky illuminated by the sunrise. Taken by Hermis Haridas in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, it won gold in the birds in flight category. Haridas said that “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.”
This striking image captures a Eurasian hoopoe taking flight in the early morning, prey caught in its beak and the sky illuminated by the sunrise. Taken by Hermis Haridas in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, it won gold in the birds in flight category. Haridas said that “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.”
Hermis Haridas/Bird Photographer of the Year
This photograph shows a black grouse performing a courtship display on a cold spring morning in Kuusamo, Finland. The males gather to charge at each other in mock battles, which occasionally escalate to real fights. It was taken by Markus Varesvuo and was recognized in the best portrait category.
This photograph shows a black grouse performing a courtship display on a cold spring morning in Kuusamo, Finland. The males gather to charge at each other in mock battles, which occasionally escalate to real fights. It was taken by Markus Varesvuo and was recognized in the best portrait category.
Markus Varesvuo/Bird Photographer of the Year
This photograph captures Gentoo penguins surfing in the waves after coming back from a hunting dive off the shore of the Falkland Islands. Taken by Levi Fitze, the picture won the silver award in the birds in the environment category.
This photograph captures Gentoo penguins surfing in the waves after coming back from a hunting dive off the shore of the Falkland Islands. Taken by Levi Fitze, the picture won the silver award in the birds in the environment category.
Levi Fitze/Bird Photographer of the Year
This image, the winner of the comedy bird photo category, shows an Adélie penguin sliding along the ice in Antarctica. Photographer Nadia Haq said it was as if the bird was “performing a modern dance move.”
This image, the winner of the comedy bird photo category, shows an Adélie penguin sliding along the ice in Antarctica. Photographer Nadia Haq said it was as if the bird was “performing a modern dance move.”
Nadia Haq/Bird Photographer of the Year
This photograph, the overall winner of Bird Photographer of the Year and the winner of the conservation category, shows the collected bodies of<strong> </strong>more than 4,000 birds killed in window collisions in Toronto, Canada. The competition aims to promote conservation, and in this image, Patricia Homonylo shines a light on the estimated billion birds that die each year in North America due to collisions with windows.
This photograph, the overall winner of Bird Photographer of the Year and the winner of the conservation category, shows the collected bodies of more than 4,000 birds killed in window collisions in Toronto, Canada. The competition aims to promote conservation, and in this image, Patricia Homonylo shines a light on the estimated billion birds that die each year in North America due to collisions with windows.
Patricia Homonylo/Bird Photographer of the Year
Gary Collyer captured this photograph of a group of white-crested helmetshrikes huddling together before sleeping on a cold March evening in South Africa. The picture was recognized in the comedy bird photo category.
Gary Collyer captured this photograph of a group of white-crested helmetshrikes huddling together before sleeping on a cold March evening in South Africa. The picture was recognized in the comedy bird photo category.
Gary Collyer/Bird Photographer of the Year
During his commute to work in Florida, Robert Gloeckner noticed a dead palm tree with holes in it. When he checked again later that day, he spotted an Eastern screech-owl peeking out, winking at him. His picture was recognized in the comedy bird photo category.
During his commute to work in Florida, Robert Gloeckner noticed a dead palm tree with holes in it. When he checked again later that day, he spotted an Eastern screech-owl peeking out, winking at him. His picture was recognized in the comedy bird photo category.
Robert Gloeckner/Bird Photographer of the Year
This image won Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2024, and the gold award in the 12-14 years category. In the photograph, taken by Andrés Luis Domínguez Blanco, a Eurasian nuthatch ambles down a tree trunk on the way to drink from the river.
This image won Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2024, and the gold award in the 12-14 years category. In the photograph, taken by Andrés Luis Domínguez Blanco, a Eurasian nuthatch ambles down a tree trunk on the way to drink from the river.
Andrés Luis Domínguez Blanco/Bird Photographer of the Year
The winning images from bird photography contest

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An image of a peregrine falcon chasing a butterfly, a vulture feasting on a black bear and a surfing penguin are among the winning images of Bird Photographer of the Year 2024.

The contest, in its ninth edition, celebrates the beauty of birds while also highlighting the threats they face. Canadian photographer Patricia Homonylo took away the grand prize with a devastating image showing more than 4,000 birds that were killed after collisions with windows or reflective surfaces in Toronto.

A study published in August estimated that more than one billion birds die in the US each year due to collisions with windows. As a conservation photojournalist working with the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP), which aims to keep birds safe from deadly collisions, Homonylo wanted to visualize the tragedy. Along with her team, she placed the dead in concentric circles, with the biggest birds at the center.

“We create this impactful display to honor the lives lost and increase public awareness,” Homonylo said in a statement. “I hope people are shocked by what they see and are moved to act by using bird-safe glass and supporting organizations like FLAP.”

To a bird, a reflective surface can appear like a continuation of the landscape, and as a result many fly straight into windows at full speed. Precautions such as applying visual markers like stickers or a bird-safe film can help to prevent collisions.

A photo showing birds killed by window collisions won the contest's grand prize.
A photo showing birds killed by window collisions won the contest's grand prize.
Patricia Homonylo/Bird Photographer of the Year

Conservation is one of the key drivers for the annual competition, which is partnered with Birds on the Brink, a charity that provides funding to grassroots bird conservation projects around the world. According to the latest State of the World’s Birds report by BirdLife International, nearly half of the planet’s bird species are in decline and one in eight species is threatened with extinction.

Will Nicholls, director of Bird Photographer of the Year, told CNN that the competition allows people to view things they may not be able to see for themselves. “Raising awareness of what is out there in the tree tops is half the battle for getting people to care about nature. Humans are visual creatures, and photography is incredibly powerful to convey a message,” he said.

Photographers from around the world entered more than 23,000 images into the contest, competing in eight different categories. The title of Young Bird Photographer of the Year was awarded to 14-year-old Spanish photographer Andrés Luis Domínguez Blanco for a vivid image of a nuthatch — a small bird similar to a woodpecker — scrambling down an oak tree in Grazalema in southern Spain.

The images cover a huge range of species, environments and behaviors – some are comedic while others carry a serious message. According to Paul Sterry, a trustee of Birds on the Brink: “The mark of a good photograph is one that either demonstrates artistry or tells a story.”