The annual Bird Photographer of the Year competition sees talented photographers from across the world enter stunning images of birds in the hopes of earning top honours. With over 20,000 shots submitted across eight categories, the winning photos beautifully showcase our feathered friends' colour, determination and personality.

Click through the gallery to see 2024's winning shots as well as stunning images from previous years…

Young Julian Mendla from Germany took gold in the 11 and under category with this stunning photograph of a European bittern on Lake Federsee in Bad Buchau. The lake is a popular wintering spot for migratory birds, and European bitterns are frequent visitors between November and March. “This particular individual was very close to the boardwalk that leads through the nature reserve,” explained Julian. “From there, I could easily watch its fishing campaign and take numerous photos.”

This beautifully composed shot of a Eurasian nuthatch in Grazalema in southern Spain offers a unique perspective of this elegant bird, earning young Spanish photographer Andres Luis Dominguez the gold in the 12-14 years category. Andres used a wide-angle lens to get the unusual viewpoint, waiting patiently for the bird to land on the oak tree after drinking in a nearby river. “I was using a remote-control set-up and I just had to wait,” says Andres. The judges were so impressed they awarded him Young Bird Photographer of the Year as well.

Emil Wagner took this intriguing photo of a grey plover on a beach along the Baltic coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Germany. Emil hoped that it would highlight the potential conflict between humans and nature and make people consider the potential impact of their activities on protected species and their habitats. The judges agreed and awarded Emil gold in the 15-17 years category.

This emotive and provocative image by Canadian photographer Patricia Seaton was taken to raise awareness of the staggering 1.3 billion birds that die after colliding with windows in North America. The display includes more than 4,000 birds, from hawks to hummingbirds, to honour the fallen creatures and bring closure to the volunteers who patrol cities worldwide in search of birds that have collided with windows, in an attempt to save them. It was a worthy winner of the Conservation category and also earned Patricia the title of Bird Photographer of the Year.

Grzegorz Dlugosz took the gold award in the Urban Birds category by highlighting another danger faced by birds: busy roads. These goosander breed in a park about 0.6 miles (1km) from the River Vistula in Warsaw, and move their brood between the two places in search of food. The city has built underground passages for them, but they prefer to cross the road. Each year a group of volunteers help them cross by stopping the traffic, beautifully captured here by Grzegorz.

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The winner of the gold award in the Comedy Bird Photo category is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. It was taken by Nadia Haq from the US and captures a young Adelie penguin seemingly trying out some dance moves. “I was sitting on a Zodiac next to my husband and 10-year-old son near Brown Bluff in Antarctica when we spotted a group of Adelie penguins on some sea ice,” explains Nadia. “As we approached them, they started to toboggan on the ice, with this one sliding as if performing a modern dance move.”

David Stowe from Sydney took this surrealistic image of a hoary-headed grebe as it disappeared below the surface of the water to feed, pushing into the depths with its huge paddle-like feet. “I took the image from a raised platform high above the wetland,” explains David. “With a little bit of imagination, the combination of bird and ripples look like the head of a hippo.” The judges obviously saw it. They awarded David gold in the Black and White category.

Northern gannets are remarkably adept birds, diving up to 72 feet (22m) to catch their prey. US photographer Kat Zhou had to do something equally remarkable to capture them – scuba diving from a boat just off the island of Noss in Scotland’s Shetland Islands. Judging by the rays of light illuminating the gannets, it was a rare sunny day in the Shetlands. And enough for the judges to award Kat gold in the Birds in the Environment category.

This stunning photograph of a Eurasian hoopoe won gold in the Bird in Flight category and is a testament to the value of doing your homework. Indian photographer Hermis Haridas spent two days observing the habits of this singular bird before returning to its favourite tree to capture it at sunrise. “It was as if nature had bestowed upon me a gift,” says Hermis. “A singular composition that encapsulates the essence of the hoopoe’s beauty and grace.”

With this gold winner photograph in the Bird Behaviour category, US photographer Nathaniel Peck has achieved something very special. His image of a turkey vulture atop the carcass of an American black bear beside a rushing stream in West Virginia is at once gruesome but somehow beautiful too. “As the weather warmed in spring, this turkey vulture became a frequent visitor, sometimes spending hours at the carcass,” he explains, allowing him to capture this most striking image.

During winter, grey-crowned rosy finches gather in large numbers. They are relatively tame too, giving photographer Alan Murphy plenty of time to set up a tripod and grab a few shots before they took off. It’s the perfect winter scene and was awarded gold in the Best Portrait gallery. And the evocative pink background? That was created by distant boats in a marina, says Alan.

Now read on to see the winners from previous years...

Photographer Antonio Aguti captured this purple heron trying to swallow a large crucian carp on Lake Chiusi near Siena in Italy. These migratory birds nest in the lake basins of the Italian Peninsula feeding on mice, snakes, toads and much smaller fish. Aguti caught the moment this heron voraciously swallowed the huge carp after several attempts to turn the fish onto its side, claiming the gold award in the Comedy Bird Photo category as a result. 

Spanish photographer Rafael Armada took gold in the Birds in Flight category with this stunning photo of a sword-billed hummingbird in Bogota, Colombia. Sword-billed hummingbirds have the world’s longest bill relative to their size, meaning they're able to feed on flowers with long corollas. By reaching the parts bees and butterflies can’t get to, these hummingbirds are vital pollinators and help to ensure ecological diversity across the Andean mountains.

Young photographer Harry Sedin showed all the skills of an old pro with this high-key photo of two terns near Ornskoldsvik in Sweden. High-key images are usually set against bright backgrounds and have very few shadows, so Sedin utilised the white of the terns’ bodies along with the overcast weather and bright reflections in the water to achieve the startling effect he was after. His efforts won him gold in the 12-14 years category.

This great grey owl may look like it's bowing its head in prayer, but the reality is that it's hunting for voles. Finnish photographer Arto Leppaanen quietly watched as the owl stopped on tombstones in a cemetery in southern Finland and scanned the grounds for prey. Leppaanen’s patience was rewarded when he captured the fleeting moment it landed briefly on a beautiful angel statue. His wonderful photo won gold in the Urban Birds category.

This Michael Eastwell photo, which won silver in the Conservation category, perfectly captures the threats posed to birdlife by urbanisation. Dr Luke Gregory can be seen examining an injured southern bookbook owl, brought into his veterinary in Tasmania. Southern bookbook owls are the smallest owl species in Australia and have large, outward-projecting eyes. Their eyes are perfect for low-light hunting, but they are also easily dazzled and disorientated by the lights of oncoming vehicles. 

Australian photographer Jason Moore was awarded gold in the Black and White category with this photo of a young musk duck mesmerised by a drop of water falling from its mother’s mouth. By removing the distraction of colour, Moore ensured that the viewer’s eye was drawn to this tiny detail as well as the extraordinary expressions on each bird’s face.

When flooding meant that a field of sunflowers could not be harvested in Lower Silesia in Poland, photographer Mateusz Piesiak spotted an opportunity. He knew that thousands of greenfinches, goldfinches and bramblings would flock to the field to feed in winter and masked his camera with snow and dried sunflowers to capture the birds from a unique perspective. The wide-angle lens captured this lone brambling perfectly, winning Piesiak gold in the Birds in the Environment category.

It’s not just the early bird that catches the worm. Anton Trexler raised himself before sunrise to capture this mesmerising image of a blackbird singing in the dead of the night, backlit by an evocative red moon. “Getting up before sunrise allows you to experience the magical awakening of animals,” said Trexler. “The blackbird is one of the first animals to awaken.” His devotion to getting the shot saw Trexler awarded gold in the 15-17 years category and crowned  2023's Young Bird Photographer of the Year.

Nicolas Reusens is another photographer whose patience was rewarded. He ventured deep into Mashpi Amagusa Reserve in Ecuador hoping to photograph a rare glistening-green tanager. After hours of waiting, Reusens got his wish. Not only did he get to see a tanager, he got to see the vivid-green bird perched on a perfect heart-shaped leaf. It was the perfect pose and won Nicolas gold in the Best Portrait category.

You’re never too young to appreciate the beauty of birds – or even take an award-winning photo of them. Young Arko Saha won gold in the 11 and under category with this stunning photo of a verditer flycatcher taken in Pelling, one of India’s most beautiful hill stations. “I snapped this very colourful bird in a garden near our hotel,” explained Saha. “I observed so many birds, but it is the extremely vibrant blue colour that makes this bird so beautiful.”

It took Jack Zhi four years to capture this amazing image of a female peregrine falcon protecting her young from a brown pelican but when he finally got the shot, he was delighted with the results. “The high-speed chase made it challenging to capture a close-up shot with a long lens,” he said. “But the falcon’s precision as it struck at the pelican’s head was amazing.”  The judges were impressed too. Not only did Zhi take gold in the Bird Behaviour category, he was also crowned Bird Photographer of the Year 2023.

Snapped near Volunteer Point on the Falkland Islands, where long white sand beaches give way to the waves of the South Atlantic, this cosy king penguin chick is enjoying a snooze. Nestled into its fluffy down, this young bird looks markedly different from its seniors, known for their signature black and white colour scheme with bright orange highlights on their bills and throats. Keen to capture not-often-noticed details, photographer Andy Pollard won gold in the Attention to Detail category with this image.

This western capercaillie was photographed by Isabella Chowra using a macro lens as it displayed its feathers to onlookers in Stockholm, Sweden. The birds prefer to live in forests, just like the ones surrounding the Swedish capital. During mating season the males strut around with puffed chests, fanned tail feathers and emit special sounds to attract a female. The framing of the bold stare and red-ringed eye earned a silver award for Chowra in the Attention to Detail category.

This seemingly bejewelled great northern diver looks regal in its gown of water droplets. Photographer Sue Dougherty achieved bronze thanks to this elegant fowl, with its striking ruby-red eye and the diamond-like beads clinging to its head. The bird was catching food for its chick by diving under Dougherty’s boat on a lake in the Cariboo region of British Columbia when she snapped the shot. If you look closely you can see the shoreline and trees reflected in its piercing eye.

You’d be forgiven for mistaking this bird for a spiky, egg-filled nest. Look closer and you'll see a feisty male puffing out his throat as he looks for his mate. This is a sage grouse, which hails from the prairies of the American west’s Great Basin, where they gather in springtime to attempt to out-strut each other. Photographer Ly Dang was lucky enough to capture this golden image of a male on full display in Colorado. It claimed top spot in the Best Portrait category.

Puffins mate for life, and this gorgeous image in the early morning sun perfectly captures this pair's loyal commitment to each other. Taken by Brad James in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the intimate picture won silver in the Best Portrait category. Around 95% of North America’s puffins flock to the province's coasts to breed in the summer, making it a go-to destination for travellers wanting to view these birds – by land or by boat.

These purple-crested turaco birds seen kissing for the camera are found only in sub-Saharan Africa, and are often very shy. Photographer Richard Flack was lucky enough to witness the pair close-up in a conservation area just outside Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. He called the moment "a dream encounter", and the duo won him the bronze award in the Best Portrait category. The birds mostly inhabit woodland and can be found along South Africa's eastern coast – also famed for the safari Big Five and excellent offshore whale-watching.

Photographer Tomasz Sczansny used a drone to depict this surreal landscape from above. The abstract image is in fact a frozen lake in southwest Poland, with two mute swans floating on the surface of a melted patch of water. Developed in monochrome, the artful shot was awarded bronze in the Black and White category. 

Circling in a swirling blue sky, these white storks return home to nest in Ukraine in the spring, and locals believe their love for their native land gives them the strength to survive the winter and the journey. Photographer Petro Katerynych said the storks symbolise the challenges faced by Ukrainians: "Once again they must defend their native nests, while some are forced to rush like storks in the direction of the sun. Many of us will fall, but I hope that spring is ahead of us." The thought-provoking image won Katerynych the gold award in the Creative Imagery category.

This dream-like scene of two Dalmatian pelicans stealing a fisherman’s catch stirred the imaginations of the judges in 2022, winning the silver award in the Creative Imagery category. In the background lie the shallow waters of Lake Kerkini in Greece, fringed by mountainous terrain on all sides, with the Bulgarian-Greek border to the north and Mount Mavrovouni to the south. Keen to capture "a light-hearted picture of birds stealing the fisherman’s catch", photographer Janine Lee compiled the photograph at home using editing software, including an old boat from the Norfolk coastline, fish from her local market and a lantern from her garden.

No, this isn’t a new bird-themed form of air travel, but a clever design created by Wei Lian. Inspired by a visit to the annual US Navy Blue Angels military air show in San Francisco, the photographer replaced the planes with a formation of sandhill cranes, careening across the clear California skies. The display takes place over the Bay Area in October, bringing drama and noise to the famous waterfront. Wei Lian won the bronze award in the Creative Imagery category for his design.

Taken above the fog-covered city of Abu Dhabi, this image paints a serene picture of life above the metropolis. High in the sky you can spot a line of greater flamingos, with dawn warming the horizon and a few skyscrapers piercing the mist in the background. The moment was described as "like a fantasy" by photographer Ammar Alsayed Ahmed. UAE's capital is well-known for urban luxury but a short drive here brings you to the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, home to nearly 4,000 flamingos through autumn and spring. This image clinched top spot in the Urban Birds category.

Transylvania may conjure images of vampires and foreboding castles, but it's also home to diverse wildlife and fauna including bears, wolves and owls. This moody owlet was spotted nestling under the tiles of an abandoned building while the rest of the family dried their feathers on the roof above. Laszlo Potozky visits the site regularly and was delighted to capture the moment, naming the resigned-looking owl after the character Gonzo from The Muppets. The photograph won the silver award in the Urban Birds category.

A rubbish-lined creek does not make a great home for barred owls, but sadly pollution and litter are threatening their habitat. This juvenile, spotted by Kerry Wu in Hillsboro, Oregon, is part of a family that visits from the surrounding forest to bathe in the creek. The photographer was devastated by the damage, saying: "The ravine is, but shouldn’t be, a dumping ground and this scene broke my heart. Nature is not a landfill site. We can do better. We must do better." The photograph earned third place in the Urban Birds category.

Silhouetted against the glimmering waters of Lake Nagyszeksos in Hungary’s Kinskunsag National Park, this pied avocet chick is enjoying a refreshing drink. The park is set between the Danube and Tisza rivers and is home to a thriving herd of water buffalo, introduced almost a decade ago, as well as a rich biodiversity of birdlife. This was the first time that Tamas Koncz-Bisztricz had the opportunity to photograph a chick, and his efforts were rewarded with silver in the 14-17 years category.

This small bird is standing in a salt evaporation pond in Thailand's Samut Sakhon province. Here seawater is left to evaporate, leaving behind salt which is then harvested and sold. Photographer Thamboon Uyyanonvara lay patiently on a low ridge in the evening light until this Kentish plover hopped onto the salt flat, aligning perfectly with the reflection of the setting sun and photographer’s lens. The image was awarded bronze in the 14-17 years category.

Winner of the 9-13 years category, Parham Pourahmad snapped this Anna’s hummingbird catching water droplets at a fountain in Fremont, California. It's a hotspot for these busy birds, and Parham used a fast shutter speed to capture both the droplets and the hummingbird’s wings mid-flight. Native to California's Pacific coastline, the Anna’s hummingbird is very common and feeds on flowers and insects. If you keep your eyes peeled while luxuriating in the West Coast sunshine, you're likely to see them buzzing around in the foliage.

Shot in the mountainous Andalucian village of Grazalema by Andres Luis Domínguez Blanco, this Eurasian blackbird displays a dramatic side-profile silhouette against a background of dappled light. The village is well-known by hikers and nature-lovers alike for its trails and caves – despite also being the wettest place in Spain. In this image, out-of-focus dewdrops and blurred foliage provide an ethereal feel. It won silver in the 9-13 years category.

This plum-headed parakeet was caught taking a leap of faith between two branches in the Western Ghats, a mountain range along India's west coast. Achintya Murthy was lying in wait in a nearby bird hide and used a high shutter speed and autofocus to clearly capture the parakeet mid-jump with its wings raised. The Western Ghats house more than 30% of India’s plant and animal species, and are a great place to spot larger mammals including Asian elephants and tigers. This image earned bronze in the 9-13 years category.

This curious barred owl was snapped by Arjun Jenigiri as it peered around a tree trunk in Maine’s Acadia National Park. Occupying nearly 50,000 acres along the state's Atlantic coast, the park is bustling with wildlife, including bobcats, bats, beavers and birds. Family friends had noticed four owl chicks on a hike and invited the young photographer along to catch a glimpse. Both bird and person were equally intrigued, weighing each other up in this wonderful image that won gold in the 8 and under category.

Ladies, pick your fighter! These male sage grouse were seen battling it out on a traditional lekking site to impress females and hopefully secure a mate. The two birds clashed in Colorado during the spring breeding season in front of photographer Peter Ismert, concealed in a ground hide nearby. The thawing winter snow can be seen spraying from their wings as they charge towards each other. The image won gold in the Bird Behaviour category.

These skilled freedivers were caught off the coast of Scotland, swooping through the water in search of prey. Visually similar to penguins, the common guillemot has retained its ability to fly but is an extremely efficient swimmer. The Berwickshire Marine Reserve, where these guillemots were hunting, is the first and only voluntary marine reserve in Scotland. It's home to bottlenose dolphins, grey seals and minke whales. Photographer Henley Spiers won the silver award in the Bird Behaviour category for this amazing underwater shot.

Despite the startling similarity to Mordor in JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, this ominous location is in fact the black lava beach of Skarosvík on the west coast of Iceland. Perched on a pointed ridge silhouetted against the sky, the cormorant in the background looks almost like a gatekeeper to another world. Pawel Smolik spotted the ethereal bird drying its wings and tooik this photo, which won silver in the Black and White category.

Gulping down a berry, this Bohemian waxwing was one of a flock eagerly eating fruit off a bush in Kentville, Nova Scotia. Photographer Simon d’Entremont described the amazing experience: "A flock of more than one hundred Bohemian waxwings descended onto these berry bushes, devouring them right in front of me." He captured the moment by taking an underexposed shot of the bird against the sunlight, creating a silhouette effect. This hungry fowl secured d’Entremont a bronze in the Bird Behaviour category.

Pictured behind these galahs is one of rural Queensland town Yelarbon’s famous painted silos, titled ‘When the rain comes’. The town sits on the edge of a desert and is no stranger to droughts, an ever-present threat for the region's wheat farmers. The murals emphasise the importance of rain and have drawn tourists from all over Australia, while the wheat draws galahs who feed on spilt grain. Photographer Raoul Slater stopped to take pictures of the birds, including this one of two galahs swooping past the mural. He won gold in the Birds in Flight category.

This colourful nighttime shot showcases a UK gardener’s favourite, the common starling, zooming towards a midnight snack. Photographer Mark Williams had strategically placed some sunflower seeds in a bird-feeder, and managed to snap the speedy starling making its descent. He used flash to display the starling’s trail and coloured gels on the flash heads to give the bird its purple hue. Williams snapped up a silver in the Birds in Flight category for the image.

With its bright red wings and eyes, the Schalow’s turaco is certainly eye-catching, but it's also notoriously hard to photograph. US snapper Aaron Baggenstos was over the moon when he caught this image on safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara. Having seen the birds pass his safari tent each morning from a nearby canopy he was determined to get a focused image, and one morning his chance arrived. "This image captured the moment," he said, "and what a remarkably beautiful avian creature it was.” He won bronze in the Birds in Flight category.

Irish photographer Paul Mckenzie took to the skies for this bird's-eye view of greater and lesser flamingos crossing Lake Logipi in northern Kenya. The sparse lakebed had recently experienced a shallow cover of rainwater, resulting in the blooms of red algae shown on the left of the image. These, mixed with sediment washed in from the Suguta River and salt flows appearing on the saline lake's surface, created this beautiful swirling backdrop. The image was awarded silver in the Birds in the Environment category.

This 26-foot-high (8m) wave proved no obstacle to this European shag as it glided serenely over the break. Photographer Mario Suarez Porras was moved by the moment: "It made me reflect on how lucky the bird was to be free and able to fly with strength and determination in the most difficult conditions." Pictured off the coast of the Asturias region in northern Spain, these stormy seas – with big waves all year round – offer a good spot for adrenaline-seeking surfers. The image was awarded bronze in the Birds in the Environment category.

Watch out! This school of fish is about to receive an unwelcome visit from a double-crested cormorant diving down for a meal. Shot from 33 feet (10m) below the surface off the coast of Mexico, photographer Henley Spiers observed the play between bird and fish, the school moving in unison to evade capture. This image shows the exact moment the fish realise they're being hunted, the cormorant shooting like a dark arrow from above. The image seized top spot in the Black and White category.

Photographer Levi Fitze was crowned Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2022 for this image of a Dunlin struggling in the midst of a sandstorm. Taken on the German archipelago of Heligoland in the North Sea, Fitze had experienced poor weather all week and sympathised with the small bird's frustration as it struggled forwards with its eyes closed, braced against the wind. The resulting image gives off an air of quiet determination, and won gold in the 14-17 years category.

Erlend Haarberg was named Bird Photographer of the Year 2022 for this breathtaking photo of a rock ptarmigan taking flight from a mountain peak in Tysfjorden, Norway. Stamped against the blues and greys of the winter fjord landscape, the soft-white form sits in perfect contrast to the jagged cliffs and crags. Tysfjorden is home to Stetind, Norway’s national mountain, and several other impressive peaks which dominate the scenery. Haarberg took home £5,000 ($5,600) for this image, which also finished top of the pile in the Birds in the Environment category.

Now discover our ranking of the world's most beautiful birds