Photography has emerged as a medium to exhibit the eccentrically beautiful traits of the animal kingdom. Bird photography competitions have become a staple of wildlife photography, providing glimpses into the stunning avian life. Bringing such mesmerizing visuals, the annual Bird Photographer of the Year competition has announced its winning images for the year 2021.
The contest celebrates avian life from all around the world while supporting conservation efforts through financial aid. With over 22,000 images from 73 different countries were submitted for the competition this year, the winning shots have been announced.
The competition features eight categories – Portraits, Bird behavior, Birds in Flight, Black and White, Birds in the Environment, Attention to Detail, Urban Birds and Creative Imagery. An elevated shot of a Greater Roadrunner facing the US-Mexico border wall has won hearts and the top prize of the contest. One can argue that Alejandro Prieto’s winning image seemingly appears to be quite political, however, it does highlight the threat to biodiversity that such structures impose on the local wildlife habitat.
Here are the 20 winning images from Bird Photographer of the Year 2021 that will mesmerize you.
“Oh! Don’t Break My Heart” – As they say, this picture is worth a thousand words. Dividing borders of the human world have definitely disrupted the harmony of the natural world.
Image: Alejandro Prieto
This reflection of a penguin in wet sand with waves crashing won the first prize for the Attention to Detail category.
Image: Rafael Armada
This image of great northern divers captured in New Hampshire exhibits the loving relationship between the adult and youngster.
Image: Raymond Hennessy
This nocturnal bird of prey is poised for attack and staring intently on a vole in a Swedish forest.
Image: Jonas Classon
This “underwater portrait” of a pelican was taken off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, near the mouth of the Tárcoles River.
Image: Felipe Foncueva
A little crimson sunbird taking a bath in the dew captured by a banana flower.
Image: Mousam Ray
“The Face of Death” – This picture of a purple heron snatching a mouse from a rice field won second prize in the Bird Behavior category.
Image: Massimiliano Apollo
“Race to First Come, First Serve” – Two southern yellow-billed hornbills chase after the same insect and fight over who gets to catch it.
Image: Hannes Lochner
A common swift swooping down to have a dink on the fly received the top award in the Birds in Flight category.
Image: Tzahi Finkelstein
After three days of photographic attempts to get a single picture of a hummingbird in motion.
Image: Nicolas Reusens
To capture this early morning picture of a large group of black male grouses during lekking, where they compete for mates with elaborate displays and courtship rituals, the photographer had to endure a night high in the freezing Alps.
Image: Levi Fitze
“Ello There, Mate!” – This photograph features a yellow-billed oxpecker fluttering in and out of a Cape buffalo herd in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania.
Image: Barbara Fleming
“Watching That Pretty Sunset” – This beautiful visual capture of a European shag bird sitting pretty on a rocky outcrop on the coast of Brittany won a prize in the Black and White category.
Image: Nathalie Chanteau
A lone Chinstrap Penguin walking on the edge of an iceberg was photographed on the vast ice expanse of Antarctica.
Image: Renato Granieri
The winner of the Creative Imagery category, this astounding image of a common kingfisher, sprats and bread is laden with an antique touch.
Image: Ruediger Schulz
Winning the second prize for Best Portrait, this pair of demoiselle cranes was photographed while singing during the breeding season.
Image: Maofeng Shen
This picture captures the fluid-like movement of a murmuration as tens of thousands of common starlings migrate to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Potteric Carr Nature Reserve during November and March.
Image: Kathryn Cooper
“Lockdown” – This photo features a Karoo prinia that used to search for insects in the security gate at the photographer’s front door during the coronavirus lockdown in South Africa last year.
Image: William Steel
Food Play: This hamerkop bird tossed its prey, the toad, into the air in order to kill, captured in Zimanga Private Reserve, South Africa.
Image: Daniel Zhang
“Intertwined” – A pair of Imperial shag was photographed on Sea Lion Island in the Falkland Island archipelago during a ritual courtship greeting.
Image: Julie Halliday