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14 soaring and stunning images from 2024 Bird Photographer of the Year awards

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3 hours ago

October 6, 2024

a penguin looks at the camera while swimming in icy waters

Jack Zhi observed a Peregrine Falcon fledgling honing its hunting skills in the skies of Southern California. After a week of practice, the young bird successfully caught a butterfly mid-flight, which Zhi captured in a photograph.

“PLAYFUL FLEDGLING”
Category: Bird Behaviour. SILVER AWARD WINNER.

This Peregrine Falcon fledgling had been flying for over a week and his skills had improved by the day. While he still took food from parents, he had started to practise his hunting skills. He was not good enough to catch live birds in the air yet, so he took baby steps by chasing a fluttering butterfly. He was certainly much faster than the butterfly and also nimble enough to keep up with it. Look at the concentration! He was successful on occasion, caught the butterfly, played with it for a second, then released it. I have been photographing peregrines for years, and this was the first time I have seen fledglings play with butterflies. Credit: Jack Zhi, United States/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024

The resulting image captured the intense focus of the falcon on the butterfly. Zhi mentioned, “[The fledgling] was successful on occasion, caught the butterfly, played with it for a second, then released it. I have been photographing peregrines for years, and this was the first time I have seen fledglings play with butterflies.” This image won the silver award in the Bird Behaviour category of the 2024 Bird Photography of the Year contest.

Over 23,000 images from photographers worldwide were submitted for this year’s awards across eight categories. The title of Bird Photographer of the Year was awarded to Patricia Homonylo of Canada for her powerful image titled “When Worlds Collide,” which depicted over 4,000 dead birds, victims of collisions with windows and reflective surfaces in urban areas.

thousands of dead birds in circles on the ground — **“WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE”**
Category: Conservation (Single Image). GOLD AWARD WINNER AND BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

Each year during spring and fall migration over 1.3 billion birds die in North America as a result of window collisions. A network of dedicated volunteers heads out each morning to pick up the pieces. For over 30 years FLAP (Fatal Light Awareness Program) volunteers have patrolled cities worldwide in search of birds that have collided with windows. While their efforts have saved an impressive number of bird collision survivors, the majority do not survive the impact. But the fallen birds are never left behind. Their bodies are collected and their lives honoured in the annual ‘Bird Layout’. The Layout brings volunteers together to arrange the dead birds in an emotive and provocative display. While The Layout honours the fallen birds and brings closure for the volunteers, it is also a critical event that raises public awareness and highlights a global issue. I have volunteered with FLAP for four years and attend The Layout annually. From hawks to hummingbirds, this 2022 display includes more than 4,000 birds. *Credit: Patricia Seaton Homonylo, Canada/Bird Photographer of the Year 2024*

Entries for the 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year are now open to photographers of all skill levels and backgrounds. (To see images in their full, stunning glory, click to expand.)