The winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2025 have been announced, and the grand prize goes to an astonishing shot of a magnificent frigatebird silhouetted against a total solar eclipse. From over 33,000 entries submitted by photographers around the world, Liron Gertsman from Canada captured this breathtaking moment in Mexico, earning the £3,500 top prize in the world’s largest bird photography competition.
Check out the winning images across 11 categories, showcasing the stunning beauty of nature and the remarkable birds that inhabit it.
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#1 Birds In Flight, Gold Award And Bird Photographer Of The Year 2025: The Frigatebird And The Diamond Ring By Liron Gertsman, Canada
After more than a year of planning and about a week of in-person scouting along the coast of Sinaloa, Mexico, my dream of photographing a bird in front of a total solar eclipse finally came true on April 8, 2024. Totality was set to last almost 4.5 minutes, and I enlisted a boat to position myself near some islets off Mazatlán frequented by seabirds.
As the moon uncovered the sun’s edge at the end of totality, I captured this Magnificent Frigatebird silhouetted against the spectacular eclipse phase known as the “diamond ring,” a fleeting moment that lasts only seconds.
Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 100–500mm f/4.5–7.1 lens. 400mm; 1/4,000s; f/7.1; ISO 10,000
Image source: © Liron Gertsman / Bird Photographer of the Year
#2 Urban Birds, Silver Award: Urban Incubator By Tomáš Grim, Czech Republic
Eurasian Jays are not generally thought of as urban birds but can sometimes be found in parks and gardens. They almost always build their nests in trees, avoiding artificial structures – so when a friend reported finding a jay’s nest inside (!) a streetlamp, I considered it a joke; the Eurasian Jay is not a hole nester. Yet, I couldn’t resist checking it out, and to my amazement, the nest was real. I waited for the ‘blue hour’ to combine the warm light from the lamp with the cool colors of the nest’s surroundings before taking this photo.
Nikon Z8 with Nikon Z 180–600mm f/5.6–6.3 lens. 250mm; 1/20s; f/7.1; ISO 1,000
Image source: © Tomáš Grim / Bird Photographer of the Year
#3 Conservation (Single Image), Bronze Award: Vanishing Species By Hira Punjabi, India
The Greater Adjutant is a Near Threatened species, with fewer than 1,500 mature individuals remaining in the wild. It was heartbreaking to see such a rare bird struggling for food at this rubbish dump.
Nikon Z9 with Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 lens. 400mm; 1/1,600s; f/8; ISO 800
Image source: © Hira Punjabi / Bird Photographer of the Year
#4 Black And White, Bronze Award: On My Own By Jim Lee, Singapore
I was watching a fledgling Buffy Fish Owl perched in a tree when heavy rain started to fall. I took shelter, keeping the owl in sight, waiting for the right moment. It flew down to a low, unlit street light, and I quickly stepped out to photograph it. Using a low shutter speed, I positioned a distant illuminated street light just out of the corner of the frame to highlight the rain streaks, while water droplets on nearby leaves added depth to the foreground. The bird stayed mostly still, its feathers soaked, but occasionally shook itself, sending droplets flying in all directions. This moment captured the resilience of wildlife enduring unpredictable weather.
Sony a1 with Sony 85mm f/1.4 II lens. 85mm; 1/20s; f/1.4; ISO 2,500
Image source: © Jim Lee / Bird Photographer of the Year
#5 Birds In The Environment, Gold Award: Feasting At Sunset By Franco Banfi, Switzerland
I was in the Sea of Cortez, near Los Islotes—a small cluster of rocks that’s part of the Espíritu Santo archipelago—to document the remarkable recovery of this marine protected area. Los Islotes is the southernmost breeding site of the Californian Sea Lion in the Northern Hemisphere, but it’s also an extraordinary haven for countless other species. I was captivated by the skill and grace of Brandt’s Cormorants as they hunted through vast schools of pilchards. Most of their feeding happened at sunset, when the low light made photography challenging. But on one perfect occasion, the conditions aligned, allowing me to capture this image with a striking three-dimensional perspective.
Sony A7R III with Sony 18–15mm f/4 lens. 15mm; 1/200s; f/8; ISO 400
Image source: © Franco Banfi / Bird Photographer of the Year
#6 Best Portrait, Silver Award: Voice Of The Ash Forest By Maxime Legare – Vezina, 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, called out as if mourning the loss of its kingdom.
Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 600mm f/4 III lens. 600mm; 1/400s; f/4; ISO 1,250
Image source: © Maxime Legare – Vezina / Bird Photographer of the Year
#7 Birds In Flight, Bronze Award: Overflight By Tibor Litauszki, Hungary
It was January, and nature had created some fascinating shapes in the saline lakes near Akasztó, Hungary. I sent up my drone, searching for the perfect composition, when a dozen geese suddenly flew into view. I immediately started taking photos, and luckily, everything fell into place—the composition and the geese aligned perfectly.
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom. 4mm; 1/1,000s; f/2.8; ISO 100
Image source: © Tibor Litauszki / Bird Photographer of the Year
#8 Birds In Flight, Silver Award: Through The Marigolds By Baiju Patil, India
The marigold fields surrounding the village of Hiware Bazar are truly breathtaking, and watching flocks of swallows gliding just above them inspired this photograph. I noticed that some of the birds kept returning to the same area, so I set up my camera and used a remote trigger to capture the perfect moment. Out of the thousands of shots I took, this one stood out as my favorite.
Nikon D4 with Nikon 14–24mm f/2.8 lens. 14mm; 1/250s; f/10; ISO 200
Image source: © Baiju Patil / Bird Photographer of the Year
#9 Bird Behaviour, Bronze Award Swollen Chest By Chen Ein-Dor, Israel
When a male Asian Houbara (also known as Macqueen’s Bustard) performs his courtship dance, he puffs out his stunning white breast feathers and runs around, usually in a prominent spot, to attract a mate. These bustards are normally very shy and hard to spot because of their wonderfully cryptic plumage. The best time to photograph them is during breeding season when the males are displaying. After years of dreaming of capturing a bustard dancing in the desert, I finally managed—with patience and a bit of luck—to approach one slowly and get close enough to photograph him strutting his stuff.
Nikon Z 9 with Nikon Z 600mm f/4 lens and 1.4x teleconverter. 840mm; 1/2,500s; f/5.6; ISO 1,000
Image source: © Chen Ein-Dor / Bird Photographer of the Year
#10 Bird Behaviour, Silver Award: King Of The Forest By Mateusz Piesiak, Poland
This male capercaillie, bathed in the first rays of the rising sun, had perched in the perfect spot. The emotions I felt in that moment are hard to put into words. Overwhelmed by the scene, I forgot to adjust my camera settings, and most of the shots came out blurry. Thankfully, a few turned out sharp!
Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 II lens. 400mm; 1/1,600s; f/2.8; ISO 800
Image source: © Mateusz Piesiak / Bird Photographer of the Year
#11 Urban Boreds, Bronze Award: Sainte Trinité By Benoit Henrion, France
This disused French chapel was home to Barn Owls, but it had no flat surfaces for them to nest. I installed a nest box inside, and to my delight, a year and a half later, a pair settled in and bred successfully.
This photo was taken from my hide tent at dusk, with the light coming from the street lamps that had just been turned on.
Canon EOS 1D X Mark III with Canon EF 70–200mm f/2.8 lens. 175mm; 1/30s; f/2.8; ISO 3,200
Image source: © Benoit Henrion / Bird Photographer of the Year
#12 Urban Birds, Gold Award: Feathered On Panels By Alex Pansier, Netherlands
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 takes up space that could have been left for wildlife. This fleeting moment captures that paradox: progress requires space, but at what cost to nature? No bait was used – just a spontaneous encounter between a bird and a modern-day monoculture.
Sony a1 with Sony 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6 lens. 348mm; 1/500s; f/13; ISO 6,400
Image source: © Alex Pansier / Bird Photographer of the Year
#13 Birds In The Environment, Gold Award: Feasting At Sunset By Franco Banfi, Switzerland
I was in the Sea of Cortez, near Los Islotes—a small cluster of rocks that’s part of the Espíritu Santo archipelago—to document the incredible recovery of this marine protected area. Los Islotes is the southernmost breeding site of the Californian Sea Lion in the Northern Hemisphere, but it’s a wild and vibrant place for many other reasons as well.
I was captivated by the extraordinary skill and elegance of Brandt’s Cormorants as they fed on an almost endless school of small pilchards. Most of the hunting happened at sunset, when the low natural light made photography challenging. On one occasion, the conditions aligned perfectly, allowing me to capture this image, which offers a striking three-dimensional perspective.
Sony A7R III with Sony 18–15mm f/4 lens. 15mm; 1/200s; f/8; ISO 400
Image source: © Franco Banfi / Bird Photographer of the Year
#14 15 – 17 Years, Gold Award: Jewel Of The Forest By Harry Sedin, Sweden
Visiting Haleakalā National Park is notorious for altitude sickness, but it led me to an unforgettable moment. Feeling lightheaded at nine thousand feet, we turned back and stopped at Hosmer Grove Campground.
The moment I stepped out, flashes of red flickered through the trees—three to four ‘I‘iwi landing on a sunlit bush. With harsh light and no clouds above, I underexposed the shot, creating a black background that made the bird’s scarlet feathers glow.
The altitude may have made me miss a Short-eared Owl, but it gave me the perfect chance to capture Hawaii’s iconic honeycreeper in stunning contrast.
Canon EOS R7 with Canon EF 100–400mm f/5.6–8 lens. 400mm; 1/320s; f/8; ISO 1,000
Image source: © Harry Sedin / Bird Photographer of the Year
#15 Black And White, Gold Award: The Giant By Jannik Jansons, Germany
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 was very close to the lens, which makes it appear much larger.
Thanks to the very small aperture, the sun appears as a star through the blades of the lens. Converting the image to black and white enhances the confusing perspective, as the details are harder to see and the bird’s relative size is more difficult to judge.
Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8 III lens. 34mm; 1/640s; f/22; ISO 800
Image source: © Jannik Jansons / Bird Photographer of the Year
#16 11 And Under, Gold Award: Graceful Flight Over Wild Bloom By Sasha Jumanca, Germany
While exploring the Danube Delta in Romania this summer, I discovered a European Bee-eater colony nesting in a cliff, where the birds tirelessly hunted prey for their chicks tucked in burrows.
They flew over a field of wildflowers, whose colors beautifully mirrored the bee-eaters’ plumage. I was captivated by their agility as they swiftly changed speed and direction, tracking insects in midair.
After many attempts, I finally captured this bird in flight, wings fully spread, showcasing its vibrant feathers in perfect harmony with the flowers below.
Nikon Z9 with Nikon Z 600mm f/4 lens. 600mm; 1/4,000s; f/4; ISO 1,250
Image source: © Sasha Jumanca / Bird Photographer of the Year
#17 Best Portrait, Bronze Award: Snowstorm By Luca Lorenz, Germany
I was photographing a small flock of Alpine Choughs at 2,300 metres in the Swiss Alps when the temperature dropped to a biting −10°C 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 by tourists. I loved watching them move and fly through the blizzard with such elegance.
Nikon Z 8 with Nikon Z 14–30mm f/4 lens. 22mm; 1/1,000s; f/9; ISO 560
Image source: © Luca Lorenz / Bird Photographer of the Year
#18 Creative Perspectives, Silver Award: Landing In A Sea Of Swans By Andreas Hemb, Sweden
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 captured this image at dusk as the swans gathered in a field near a lake. Using a slow shutter speed to emphasize motion, I tracked one swan as it came in to land, aiming to capture its grace against an abstract sea of swans on the ground.
Sony a1 with Sony 400mm f/2.8 lens. 400mm; 1/4s; f/5.6; ISO 500
Image source: © Andreas Hemb / Bird Photographer of the Year
#19 Black And White, Silver Award: Black And White Swan By Raoul Slater, Australia
At thirteen, 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 and shutter speed second. It usually works, except in moments like this—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. Sometimes, a divine accident redeems a thousand mistakes.
Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6 II lens. 263mm; 1/8,000s; f/5; ISO 800
Image source: © Raoul Slater / Bird Photographer of the Year
#20 Creative Perspectives, Gold Award: Photo Art By Philipp Egger, Italy
The idea behind this photograph was to capture a kingfisher flying over a piece of artwork so that the two elements would merge. To achieve this, I mounted my camera on a fallen tree across a small stream and pointed it vertically downward at the artwork positioned just above the water’s surface. I then waited for days in a camouflaged tent nearby, triggering the camera with a radio remote release whenever the bird flew over the picture.
Nikon Z7 II with Nikon Z 24–70mm f/4 lens. 36mm; 1/200s; f/11; ISO 125
© Philipp Egger / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image source: © Philipp Egger / Bird Photographer of the Year
#21 Conservation (Single Image), Gold Award: Radiographing By Sarthak Agrawal, India
This picture shows an injured juvenile Common Hawk-Cuckoo that was 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 guidance of the forest department. To assess the damage to its wings, a radiograph was obtained after anesthetizing the bird.
Common Hawk-Cuckoos are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of smaller urban birds like sunbirds, prinias, and tailorbirds. While these smaller birds have adapted well to urban environments, the much larger hawk-cuckoo struggles to navigate and survive. Every year, several cuckoo chicks are found in similar circumstances, and foundations like ManwithIndies rescue many of them.
Nikon D5600 with Nikon 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 lens. 18mm; 1/60s; f/5.6; ISO 320
Image source: © Sarthak Agrawal / Bird Photographer of the Year
#22 Best Portrait, Gold Award: Bloody Petrel By Steffen Foerster, Germany
Giant petrels are the scavengers of the Southern Ocean, often seen feeding on carrion. This individual’s head is stained red 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. Despite their appearance, giant petrels are devoted parents, with both males and females taking turns incubating their single egg and guarding their chick for weeks.
Once heavily persecuted for their oil, their populations have rebounded thanks to conservation efforts, though they still face threats from fishing practices and climate change.
Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 400mm f/2.8 lens. 400mm; 1/3,200s; f/2.8; ISO 1,000
Image source: © Steffen Foerster / Bird Photographer of the Year
#23 15 – 17 Years, Gold Award And Young Bird Photographer Of The Year 2025: Minimalist Wings By Tomasz Michalski, Poland
I took this photo during the biggest trip of my life, a journey to Central America in July 2024, starting in Nicaragua. I spotted this large vulture drying its wings on a pole near our hotel.
The bird was calmly watching me, giving me plenty of time to photograph it. The surrounding scenery wasn’t very appealing, so I chose to frame the shot with only part of the bird in the photo. I experimented with several compositions, and this one became my favorite.
Olympus E-M1 Mark II with Leica 100–400mm f/4–6.3 lens. 400mm; 1/320s; f/22; ISO 125
Image source: © Tomasz Michalski / Bird Photographer of the Year
#24 Creative Perspectives, Bronze Award: Under Your Nose By Jim Lee, Singapore
This photo shows a Buffy Fish Owl perched atop a streetlight, a common hunting spot for these birds. The contrast between the dark night sky and the bright light makes the owl go unnoticed by most passersby.
To capture a unique perspective, I positioned myself directly beneath the bird, using a wide-angle lens and pointing my camera upwards. The lamppost acts as a leading line, drawing attention to the owl at the center of the frame. The combination of the streetlight and treetop branches creates a striking blend of urban and natural elements, highlighting the owl’s adaptability to city life.
Sony a1 with Sony 16–35mm f/2.8 II lens. 35mm; 1/20s; f/2.8; ISO 1,600
Image source: © Jim Lee / Bird Photographer of the Year
#25 Birds In The Environment, Bronze Award: Triumphant Arrival By Steffen Foerster, Germany
I photographed this group of King Penguins emerging from the ocean on a cloudy summer morning. I lay flat on the shore to capture both the dramatic sky and the reflections in the wet sand. When one penguin started trumpeting and pointing its head toward the clouds, it felt like a celebration of life—a triumph over the dangers of traversing the vast ocean in search of food. For the penguins, these calls are finely tuned songs (though they may not sound very melodic to humans) that allow mates to recognize each other amidst a sprawling colony of thousands. In essence, this call translates to a resounding, “I’m back home!”
Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 70–200mm f/2.8 lens. 86mm; 1/1,000s; f/2.8; ISO 4,000
Image source: © Steffen Foerster / Bird Photographer of the Year
#26 Conservation (Single Image), Silver Award: Trapped By Charlotte Keast, United Kingdom
In heartbreaking contrast to its wild peers, this Shoebill stork is confined in a small, dirty cage at a zoo in Entebbe, Uganda. Known for their solitary and elusive nature, Shoebills thrive in vast wetlands, hunting silently and soaring gracefully over open landscapes. Here, trapped behind glass all day and constantly on display to the public, this majestic bird is deprived of space to fly, hunt, or retreat from the endless gaze of visitors. Just a few miles away, its wild counterparts enjoy the freedom of Uganda’s marshes—a stark reminder of the unnatural conditions captivity imposes on such extraordinary creatures.
Canon EOS R5 with Canon RF 14–35mm f/4 lens. 14mm; 1/2,500s; f/4; ISO 160
Image source: © Charlotte Keast / Bird Photographer of the Year
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