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Nicolas Reusens/Bird Photographer of the Year. “Ropewalker,” Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera. Papallacta, Ecuador. Category: Bird Behaviour, bronze award winner. All images © Bird Photographer of the Year, shared with permission

A Dozing Owl and Tussling Hummingbirds Top the 2020 Bird Photographer of the Year Competition

Grace Ebert

The winning shots from the renowned Bird Photographer of the Year contest capture the mundane moments and extraordinary adventures of our avian neighbors. From a sleepy owl camouflaged by tree bark to a lurching great crested grebe, the stunning birds shown here were chosen out of more than 15,000 entries from photographers around the globe.

The charity organization Birds on the Brink hosted the fifth-annual competition, and profits garnered go directly toward conservation efforts. Explore the full collection, which also is compiled in a 256-page book, on the contest’s site.

 

Moshe Cohen/Bird Photographer of the Year. “Perfect camouflage,” Eurasian Scops-owl Otus scops. Kibbutz Hatzor, Israel. Category: Attention to Detail, gold award winner
Majed AlZa’abi/Bird Photographer of the Year. “End of the day,” European Shag Gulosus aristotelis. Vardø, Norway. Category: Best Portrait, gold award winner and bird photographer of the year winner
Gadi Shmila/Bird Photographer of the Year. “Hoopoe flight at low speed,” Common Hoopoe Upupa epops. Israel. Category: Birds in Flight, gold award winner
Georgina Steytler/Bird Photographer of the Year. “On the attack!” Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus. Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Category: Best Portfolio Winner
Francesco Filippo Pellegrini/Bird Photographer of the Year. “Swifts over Iguazú Falls,” Great Dusky Swift Cypseloides senex. Iguazú Falls, Misiones, Argentina. Category: Birds in the Environment, gold award winner
Swayamsiddha Mohapatra/Bird Photographer of the Year. “A new beginning,” Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis. Kaziranga National Park, India. Category: Birds in the Environment, bronze award winner
Shu Qing/Bird Photographer of the Year. “Fairy landing on Earth,” Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus. Sanmenxia, Henan, China. Category: Birds in Flight, bronze award winner
Greg Lecoeur/Bird Photographer of the Year. “Feeding frenzy,” Cape Gannet Morus capensis. Port St Johns, South Africa. Category: Bird Behaviour, silver award winner
Carlos Cifuentes Torres/Bird Photographer of the Year. “Electric,” White Stork Ciconia ciconia. Seville, Spain. Category: Garden and Urban Birds, bronze award winner

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