Red-necked Grebe, Juvenile Honorable Mention – Etobicoke Park, ON, Canada.
The National Audubon Society has announced the winners of its 2024 photography awards, which, among other amazing images, include photos of endangered birds.
Now in its fifteenth year, the contest features impressive work by professionals, hobbyists and young people who highlight the beauty of birds and the joy of capturing them through photographs and videos.
Winning entries and honorable mentions were chosen from more than 2,300 entrants from all 50 states, Washington, DC, nine Canadian provinces and one territory. For the first time, the competition awarded the Birds in Landscapes Award, which was introduced to draw attention to how birds connect with their wider environment.
The $5,000 Grand Prize was awarded to photographer Mathew Malwitz for his photograph of a battle between two Blackburnian Warblers, which is an endangered species.
Whether the setting is wild, urban or suburban, whether the relationship is symbiotic or reflects a specific challenge facing birds, the award encourages photographers to step back, to consider the environment as a whole and then let your photographs tell the story.
Audubon's report, Survival by Degrees, reveals that two-thirds of America's birds are threatened with extinction by climate change, including species featured in this year's Audubon Photography Awards, such as the California quail and the Sedge Wren, plus the Blackburnian Warbler.
The next competition starts on October 24 and ends on February 28, 2025.
All winners and honorable mentions can be seen here.
Blackburnian Warbler, Grand Prix winner
Taken in Promised Land State Park, Pennsylvania, two Blackburnian's Warblers face each other, gray and white wings spread behind them. Their yellow heads and orange necks stand out against a blurry gray background and their beaks and feet are tangled.
Willow retrievers, Professional winner. Kluane National Park, Yukon, Canada
Seven Willow Ptarmigan race across the image, each in a different stage of flight. Their white bodies blend into the completely white background, while only their black eyes, beaks and tail feathers stand out.
Forster's Tern, Professional Honorable Mention, Shoreline Lake, Mountain View, California
A Forster's Rooster is caught in the air, its head turned almost 180 degrees so that its beak points almost upwards, its tail twisted. The spread wings of the bird give the impression that the bird is floating upside down. Water drops appear in a stream from the bird's beak and also below it.
Large-tailed Grackle, Amateur Winner, Corner of Slaughter Lane and Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
The silhouettes of grackles are placed on the power lines that divide the image, with their tails almost all pointing in the same direction. The sky is purple and pink. Throughout the photo, blurry crows fly through the air.
Barred Owl, Amateur Honorable Mention, Deep Brook Preserve. Newtown, Conn
A barred owl hangs upside down from a thin tree branch, body horizontal, face turned and looking at the camera. A squirrel hangs from a branch above him – its fur bleeding and its head almost severed and held in the owl's claws.
Black and Broad-tailed Chickadee, Winner of Plants For Birds, Wood Lake Nature Center, … [+]
A black cigarette clings to a single hook-shaped beige stem filled with seeds. The bird's black legs appear to extend at a 90-degree angle to hold the stem. The bird's black beak is full of seeds.
Sege Wren and Gray-head Coneflower, Plants For Birds Honorable Mention, John E Pearce Provincial … [+]
A small reddish-brown piece holds two long, parallel stalks like stilts. The bird's head looks to the left of the frame. Green grass surrounds the bird and yellow flowers line the bottom image.
American Kestrel, Youth Winner, Calero County Park, San Jose, California
An American kestrel stands on a post in profile, and a male kestrel stands on its back with its wings outstretched behind it. The birds are both in profile looking to the left of the frame, the male above appears to be an extension of the female below.
Wild Turkey, Female Bird Award Winner, Roseville, Minnesota
A female wild turkey stands in profile, her head held high and her wings open behind her. It stands among the leafy railroad tracks that stretch into the distance.
Birds in Landscapes Award Winner California Quai, Santa Cruz, California
A California quail sits on a small bush in a field. A row of bushes and trees in the foreground is in focus, along with the quail, while other bushes are out of focus or blurred. The scene is a muted brown and orange, with layers of light and dark.
Common Gallinule, Fisher Award Winner, Tarpon Springs, Florida
A common gallinule's green feet stick straight out of the water while its body is submerged and not visible. Water splashes are drawn in gold on a black background and dark surface.
