https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/09/2025-bird-photographer-of-the-year-contest/ Skip to content Colossal The best of art, craft, and visual culture since 2010. * Log in * Shop * Search & Explore ... Menu * Art * Craft * Design * Photography * Animation * Books * Climate * Film * History * Conversations * Illustration * Music * Nature * Opportunities * Science * Social Issues Close * Search & Explore * Subscribe * Events * Conversations * Art Glossary * Shop About Colossal * About * Contact [nav-panel-bg-mobile] [nav-panel-bg] Become a Colossal Member * Join Us * or * Log in [surprise-stati] * Privacy Policy * Terms of Service two Alpine choughs stand against the snow and wind in the Swiss Alps Bronze in Best Portrait category: Luca Lorenz, "Snowstorm." Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus), Gemmi Pass, Switzerland. All images "(c) the photographers, courtesy of Bird Photographer of the Year, shared with permission The 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year Gives a Lesson in Planning and Patience September 30, 2025 NaturePhotography Kate Mothes * Share * Pin * Email Bookmark The result of more than a year of planning and about a week of in-person scouting along the coast of Sinaloa, Mexico, a precisely timed portrait of a Magnificent frigatebird flying in front of a total solar eclipse was captured by Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman. Winner of the 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year competition, Gertsman's image demonstrates the effort and time that goes into documenting some of the world's most remarkable birds. This year's contest saw more than 33,000 entries from photographers all over the world, including three youth categories. With conservation at the heart of its mission, the competition also donated more than PS5,000 to Birds on the Brink, a charity that funds grassroots efforts to benefit avians. a silhouette of a Magnificent frigatebird against a full solar eclipseBird Photographer of the Year and Gold in the Birds in Flight category: Liron Gertsman, "The Frigatebird and the Diamond Ring." Magnificent frigatebird, (Fregatta magnificens), Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico Categories like Urban Birds, Best Portrait, and Birds in the Environment showcase a wide range of the feathered creatures' behaviors and habitats. Steffen Foerster's portrayal of a bloody-faced Southern giant petrel, for example, gets up-close-and-personal with the tube-nosed seabird after it's enjoyed a hearty meal. And Luca Lorenz focuses on the beady eye of a tough Alpine chough in the middle of a snowstorm in the Swiss Alps. Benoit Henrion peeks back at a trio of Western barn owls that have staked out niches in a church in France, and Baiju Patil captures a group of Barn swallows darting above vibrant marigolds in India. Explore the winners' gallery on the contest's website, where you can also purchase a book of this year's top photos, published by Princeton University Press. The 2026 competition is also now open for entries. a photo of a niche on a French church with two holes in the walls, which have barn owls looking outBronze in the Urban Birds category: Benoit Henrion, "Sainte Trinite." Western barn owl (Tyto alba), Hauts-de-France, France an up-close portrait of a Southern giant petrel's bloody face after a mealGold in Best Portrait category: Steffen Foerster, "Bloody Petrel." Southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus), Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) a portrait of a European bee-eater bird in mid-flightGold in the 11 and Under category: Sasha Jumanca, "Graceful Flight Over Wild Bloom." European bee-eater (Merops apiaster), Mahmudia, Romania a Brandt's cormorant swimming underwater in a huge school of fishGold in the Birds in the Environment category: Franco Banfi, "Feasting at Sunset." Brandt's cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus), Espiritu Santos, Mexico a group of barn swallows dart over orange marigoldsSilver for Birds in Flight category: Baiju Patil, "Through the Marigolds." Barn swallow, (Hirundo rustica), Hiware Bazar, Maharashtra, India a Greater adjutant stands on a pile of trash with a digger overhead that looks as if it's about the scoop up the birdBronze in the Conservation category: Hira Punjabi, "Vanishing Species." Greater adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius), Guwahati, Assam, India a group of King penguins on the shorelineBronze in Birds in the Environment category: Steffen Foerster, "Triumphant Arrival." King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus), Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) a Canadian common crow stands on a burnt tree and breathes steam in the cold air Silver in Best Portrait category: Maxime Legare-Vezina, "Voice of the Ash Forest." Canada common raven (Corvus corax), Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing. * Hide advertising * Save your favorite articles * Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop * Receive members-only newsletter * Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms Join us today! $7/month $75/year Explore membership options# Previous article Next article Related tags birdsBPOTYconservation Related articles * [seba-5] A Natural History Compendium Catalogs Albertus Seba's Exotic Specimens through Exacting Illustrations * [scott-2] A Conservationist Teaches Geese to Use Safer Migration Routes by Flying With Them Across Europe * [107_haeckel-scaled] A New Book Flies Through the Vast World of Birds from Art and Design to History and Ornithology * a bobmakierie nest with four blue eggs Snuggle Up with the New 'Smithsonian Handbook of Interesting Bird Nests and Eggs' * [gould-4] A Forthcoming Book Flies Through Hundreds of Elizabeth Gould's Groundbreaking Avian Illustrations * a group of penguins swims in arctic water, with one up-close to the camera looking very cheerful Conservation Advocacy Soars in the 2024 Bird Photographer of the Year Competition Trending * two Alpine choughs stand against the snow and wind in the Swiss Alps The 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year Gives a Lesson in Planning and Patience * three children in the street watch as their basketball is about to hit an old woman in the face Blink and You'd Miss the Moments Topping This Year's Pure Street Photography Awards * a red car hauling a house made from found scraps by Lydia Ricci Armed with Scraps, Lydia Ricci Builds a World of Messy Miniatures * a painting by Murmure of cows grazing on an iceberg In 'The Party is Over,' Murmure Confronts the Absurd Spectacle of the End Times * [century-4] Photographer Spends 20 Years Documenting How We All Dress Exactly Alike * a black-and-white photo by Dawoud Bey of a Black man standing on a street in New York next to two women in large coats and hats, who are turned away from the camera Explore Trailblazing Street Photography in 'Faces in the Crowd' at MFA Boston * a black and white photo of a little boy and his mother huddled under blankets Spanning 120 Years and 55 Countries, 'The Family of Migrants' Portrays a Broad Story of Human Movement * a sculptural metal duck by Paolo Puck Paolo Puck Imagines a World Called Fliffmellington and Its Uncanny Artifacts Advertisement Art in your inbox. 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