What a hoot: 2026 Bird Photographer of the Year winners

Fellow bird nerds, it's time to reveal the winners of one the key nature photography competitions on the calendar. Over the past year, more than 24,000 images were submitted to the Bird Photographer of the Year awards, but ultimately just a handful were selected across the contest's categories.

This year, a striking image of a northern gannet (Morus bassanus) in Scottish waters has earned UK snapper Henley Spiers the grand prize. This is also some good press for the species, which has been rocked by avian influenza outbreaks across North American nesting sites in the past few years.

Our cover image is not the only owl that stars this year, either. Swedish photographer Ivan Sjögren was caught in the act, spying on a short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) in Canada. It scored Sjögren the Gold Award in the Birds in Flight category.

"This was a magical evening, with five owls feeding around me as dusk fell," the photographer notes. "I witnessed both fights between owls and, later, displays in which they clapped their wings together. I took this photo by positioning myself strategically, hunkering down in the grass after anticipating the owls’ hunting routes. I was lucky that the owl turned its head to look at me as it passed silently by."

We'll share a handful of snaps here, with a whole lot more from the winners and runners-up in our gallery. And if you want more, check out our previous coverage.

Overall Bird Photographer and Birds in the Environment Gold winner: "Sunball Rocket" by Henley Spiers (UK)

"The handsome northern gannets lead a dualistic existence," notes 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. Their long wingspan and streamlined bodies make flying look effortless, gliding along with just the occasional pulse of their wings."

When they spot a fish, they lock in, and can travel through the water faster than an Olympic diver.

"These seabirds are specially adapted for the impact: muscles along the neck lock their vertebrae into place and air sacs in the face and chest act as airbags," he continues. "Even their nostrils are evolved for this aquatic existence, located internally to prevent water ingress during fishing dives."

Nikon Z 8 with Nikon 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E lens. 15mm; 1/200s; f/11; ISO 500.

Best Portrait Silver winner: "Sunset Puffin" by Volker Widmann (Germany)

Volker Widmann captured the oh-so-photogenic Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) on Skomer Island, UK.

"I spent several days on Skomer to photograph the Atlantic puffins in the early morning and late evening, when the day tourists had left the island and you had the birds almost to yourself," Widmann says. "This evening, I waited at the puffin colony until the sun went down and photographed this bird against the reflections in the ocean."

Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens. 500mm; 1/400s; f/4; ISO 100.

Urban Birds Silver winner: "Deception's Hope" by Romain Barats (France)

Romain Barats snapped this fantastic image of a trio of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) partway through their annual catastrophic molt in Deception Island, Antarctica. During this phase, where they lose their entire coat of feathers as a new set pushes through, these active and playful penguins can't swim and are known to be particularly grumpy during these few weeks.

"This picture was taken on Deception Island, near the Antarctic Peninsula," Barats says. "Many disasters happen on Deception Island. Home of a fur seal trade leading to an almost extinction of seals, a whaling station, and then many volcanic eruptions leading to the destruction of scientific stations, this island looks like it is cursed.

"But since then, Nature has taken back its rights, like these gentoo penguins posing in front of a rusty whale blubber warehouse like guards."

Canon EOS R5 Mark II with Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens and 1.4x teleconverter. 237mm; 1/200s; f/14; ISO 2,000.

Birds in the Environment Silver winner: "Majesty" by Åsmund Keilen (Norway)

Norwegian photographer Åsmund Keilen captured this amazing moonlight silhouette of a golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetosin) in Urke, Ørsta.

"A majestic golden eagle drifts in dark silhouette across the face of the moon, its outstretched wings cutting a powerful shape through silver light," according to the photographer. "Below, winter-clad peaks rise in quiet stillness, their frozen ridges layered through in-camera multiple exposure to shape the visual expression I envisioned.

"The composition feels both graphic and atmospheric-a meeting of shadow and glow, strength and silence. Suspended against the luminous moon, the eagle becomes a timeless presence in the cold, breathless vastness of the alpine night."

Canon EOS 5DS R with Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. 360mm; 1/8,000s; f/5.6; ISO 400.

Bird Behaviour Gold winner: "I'm Keeping Everyone Dry" by Donald Chin (Australia)

Donald Chin snapped this photo of one of my favorite birds, the tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides), with a trio huddled together in the type of trees they so cleverly camouflage with.

"Rain threads through the forest," Chin says. "Camouflaged against bark and shadow, a fledgling tawny frogmouth stretches its wings in what looks like covering its other siblings from the water droplets. Stillness is its field, with patience its inheritance. In the hush between falling drops, resilience becomes a form of quiet strength."

These carnivorous and nocturnal birds are often mistaken for owls, but they're not at all. They are more closely related to nightjars – who are also as elusive to spot at nighttime as these Aussie beauties.

Sony a9 III with Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and 1.4x teleconverter. 840mm; 1/200s; f/5.6; ISO 4,000.

Young Bird Photographer and Gold (15-17 Years) winner: "Moonlit Night" by Parham Pourahmad (US)

Young American snapper Parham Pourahmad won not just an age category but the Young Bird Photographer of the Year prize for this otherworldly image of a great horned owl (Bubo virginianus).

"I found a pair of great horned owls nesting in a park next to my house," says Pourahmad. "I headed out at dusk, hoping to capture a strong portrait of the owls. However, my aim shifted when I saw the full moon rising on the horizon. One of the owls flew down to a pine tree, and I quickly moved into position to frame it against the moon."

Forget the Bat-Signal, give us the owl sign.

Canon EOS Rebel T5i with Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens. 275mm; 1/500s; f/5.6; ISO 6,400.

Source: Bird Photographer of the Year