The Phenomenal Winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2026

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The Phenomenal Winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2026


A northern gannet dives underwater, its streamlined body surrounded by a trail of air bubbles as sunlight filters through the surface above.
A northern gannet seems to burst through the sun as it pierces down through the water off the coast of Scotland. Overall winner and Gold in the Birds in the Environment category. | © Henley Spiers / Bird Photographer of the Year

The winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2026 have been unveiled. An image of a northern gannet bursting through the ocean’s surface has taken the grand prize in the “world’s largest bird photography competition.”

Photographers from all over the world entered more than 24,000 images into the competition, each with their eyes on the £3,000 ($4,000) grand prize.

Photographer Henley Spiers, from the United Kingdom, was declared this year’s grand prize winner for his striking image taken in Scotland’s waters.

“The handsome northern gannets lead a dualistic existence”, says Spiers. “In the nest, their newborn is carefully nurtured, and a couple’s bond is reinforced by pointing sharp beaks to the sky as they tenderly stroke their white necks together. In flight, hunting mode takes over, and piercing yellow eyes, fringed with blue circles, scour the sea for prey.”

Spiers adds, “When fish are spotted, the gannets fly into the wind and stretch out their wings as brakes, precisely adjusting their position in relation to their quarry. Moments later, with wings tucked in tightly, the gannet shape-shifts into a pointed torpedo, diving into the water at speeds of up to 86km/h.”

A lone ostrich walks across a dark, flat landscape under a dramatic, cloudy sky with rays of light breaking through.
An ostrich makes its way towards the dry lake bed of Amboseli, Kenya. Gold in the Black and White category. | © Rahul Sachdev / Bird Photographer of the Year
A short-eared owl with bright yellow eyes flies low over a field of dry, brown grasses.
A short-eared owl courses over the salt marshes of British Columbia’s Fraser River Delta. Gold in the Birds in Flight category. | © Ivan Sjogren / Bird Photographer of the Year
A tawny frogmouth bird with its mouth open and wings partially spread perches on a tree branch during a light rain.
Camouflaged against bark and shadow, a fledgling tawny frogmouth stretches its wings in what looks like covering its other siblings from the water droplets. Gold in the Bird Behaviour category. | © Donald Chin / Bird Photographer of the Year
A great blue heron has a fishing line and an orange and yellow bobber tangled around its beak.
A great blue heron with bobber and fishing line wrapped around it beak in Washington state. Gold in the Conservation (Single Image) category. | © Kent Stuart / Bird Photographer of the Year
A male greater sage-grouse stands facing forward with its tail feathers fanned out in a display against a dark background.
A male greater sage-grouse during its courtship display. Gold in the Best Portrait category. | © Thomas Deliberto / Bird Photographer of the Year
A silhouette of a small bird flies across a large, out-of-focus orange moon surrounded by dark, bokeh-blurred lights.
On a blazing summer day, a common swift slices through the air, captured in an in-camera multiple exposure reflected in the glossy roof of a blue car. Gold in the Creative Perspectives category. | © Asmund Keilen / Bird Photographer of the Year
A real seagull stands on a ledge above a mural of a seagull wearing a black balaclava and gold chain while holding a wallet.
Art imitates life in Rome. Gold in the Urban Birds category. | © Gianluca Damiani / Bird Photographer of the Year

This year, the competition donated more than £5,000 ($6,700) to partner charity Birds on the Brink, which provides vital funding to grassroots bird conservation projects around the world.

Photographers from across the world competed in eight different categories in the adult competition: Best Portrait, Birds in the Environment, Bird Behaviour, Birds in Flight, Black and White, Urban Birds, Conservation (Single Image), and Creative Perspectives. There was also a Conservation Award, Portfolio Award, and Video Award, as well as three categories in the youth competition.

An Atlantic puffin stands in profile against a warm, golden background with soft, circular bokeh highlights.
Atlantic puffins on Skomer Island. Silver in the Best Portrait category. | © Volker Widmann / Bird Photographer of the Year
A juvenile bald eagle with wings spread wide perches on a mossy log during a rainstorm.
A juvenile bald eagle in the Great Bear Rainforest in Western Canada. Silver in the Bird Behaviour category. | © Mark Carwardine / Bird Photographer of the Year
A massive flock of black and white seabirds fills the sky, flying in various directions against a bright, overcast background.
A swarm of guillemots in Norway. Silver in the Birds in Flight category. | © Alex Pansier / Bird Photographer of the Year
A bird flies in front of a large, orange full moon positioned above snow-covered mountain peaks against a dark sky.
A majestic golden eagle drifts in dark silhouette across the face of the moon, its outstretched wings cutting a powerful shape through silver light. Silver in the Birds in the Environment category. | © Asmund Keilen / Bird Photographer of the Year
A small bird with a long, curved beak clings to one of five tall, slender, dark-textured stalks against a white background.
A little wattlebird in Australia. Silver in the Black and White category. | © Raoul Slater / Bird Photographer of the Year
A collection of raw bird carcasses, heads, and a large yellow eel are arranged on a surface covered in blood and ice cubes.
Yellow bitterns and other waterbirds for sale in downtown Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Silver in the Conservation (Single Image) category. | © Yann Bigant / Bird Photographer of the Year
A dark, textured shape with two distinct, bright blue eyes is partially obscured beneath a layer of rippled, icy water.
A northern gannet in dark waters around Britain. Silver in the Creative Perspectives category. | © Henley Spiers / Bird Photographer of the Year
Two penguins stand side-by-side on dark, rocky ground next to a large, weathered metal structure.
Gentoo penguins on Deception Isalnd near the Antarctic Peninsula. Silver in the Urban Birds category. | © Romain Barats / Bird Photographer of the Year

“In a world where AI-generated imagery is becoming increasingly common, this year’s winners are a powerful reminder of the value of authenticity,” says Will Nicholls, Director of Bird Photographer of the Year.

“Every image in the competition represents a real moment in the wild, earned through patience, dedication and a genuine connection with nature. People will always value real stories told by real people, and this year’s extraordinary photographs celebrate the beauty, wonder and authenticity of our natural world.”

A male superb bird-of-paradise displays its black, fan-shaped plumage and iridescent green-yellow breast shield in a forest setting.
A male Western Parotia dances in the dark rainforest of West Papua in a dazzling attempt to attract a female. Bronze in the Best Portrait category. | © David Stowe / Bird Photographer of the Year
Two frigatebirds engage in an aerial confrontation against a plain, light-colored background.
Two frigatebirds bicker over a fisherman’s unwatned catch in Tulum, Mexico. Bronze in the Bird Behaviour category. | © Bernhard Schubert / Bird Photographer of the Year
A bittern takes flight from the surface of a calm, sunlit body of water, creating small splashes with its wings and feet.
A bittern flying from reedbed to reedbed, captured from a floating hide, against the light of the rising sun. In Poland, it is one of the most secretive birds. Bronze in the Birds in Flight category. | © Patryk Kurc / Bird Photographer of the Year
A large group of penguins swims upward through deep blue water, surrounded by numerous rising air bubbles.
Gentoo penguins in Antarctica. Bronze in the Birds in the Environment category. | © Romain Barats / Bird Photographer of the Year
A small penguin stands alone on a dark surface against a black background, illuminated by two bright, out-of-focus lights.
A little penguin walks this Tasmanian promenade during the night to reach its burrow tucked safely away in the nearby shrubs. Bronze in the Black and White category. | © Julian Terreros-Martin / Bird Photographer of the Year
A man crouches on a grassy hillside next to a large, weathered, bird-like sculpture with textured, frayed plumage.
A BirdLife Malta officer discovers an old stuffed Egyptian vulture dumped by the roadside near an informal landfill. The species is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN in the Mediterranean and is strictly protected. Bronze in the Conservation (Single Image) category. | © Luca Eberle / Bird Photographer of the Year
A lone water bird swims on a dark, calm surface against a background of blurred, dark blue and grey motion.
A young great crested grebe photographed using the ICM technique. Bronze in the Creative Perspectives category. | © Julian Lozinski / Bird Photographer of the Year
An open wooden window with iron bars overlooks a mountain landscape at sunset, featuring a chair with an open book, potted flowers, and a stack of books topped with a bird figurine.
A rock thrush calls this abandoned house in Spain home. Bronze in the Urban Birds category. | © Julian Fernandez Quilez / Bird Photographer of the Year

The next cycle of the competition, BPOTY 12, is now open for entries at birdpoty.com and invites photographers of all experience levels to submit their best bird photos.

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