Colossal · Kunst en ontwerp

Avian Beauties and Rarities Top the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards

The 2026 Audubon Photography Awards celebrated remarkable bird photography, with winning images showcasing rare species and compelling behaviors. The contest features parallel opportunities for photographers in North America and in Chile/Colombia.

Francisco Castro Escobar captured the grand prize for the Chile/Colombia contest with an image of a rare lesser horned owl, nicknamed "the ghost of the desert," perched on a cactus in northern Chile. Jacqueline Burke won the grand prize for North American entrants for her photograph of a roseate spoonbill bathing in a Florida cove. Additional categories included Birds Without Borders, Plants for Birds, Youth, and Conservation.

The winning photographs highlight diverse avian life, from hunting raptors to nectar-feeding woodpeckers, and also draw attention to threats faced by birds. Josh Galicki's photo of northern gannets in Shetland showed how discarded fishing nets are used for nests but also pose a safety risk. The awards aim to illuminate the world's immense avian diversity, from hummingbirds to large seabirds.

Audubon emphasizes that creating such award-winning images often requires "hours, days, or sometimes even years of patience and effort" to capture fleeting moments. The full list of winners and honorable mentions, including videos, is available on the contest's website.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.