The winning images of the Bird Photographer of the Year contest were recently unveiled. More than 20,000 photos from all around the world were submitted to the competition this year. An image of a rock ptarmigan taking flight above the snow-clad mountains of Tysfjord, Norway, has been awarded the 'Overall Bird Photographer of the Year' prize.
Bird Photographer of the Year, widely regarded as the world’s largest bird photography competition, organizes a contest annually to encourage and acknowledge talented bird photographers from every corner of the globe. “Once again our talented photographers have cast a light on the incredible diversity of bird life that we share our planet with,” says Will Nicholls, director of the Bird Photographer of the Year competition. “But it is also a stark reminder of what we stand to lose if we don’t continue to look after the natural world and fight for its protection from the many threats that exist today.”
Check out the best bird photos of 2022 in the gallery below.
Overall Winner and Birds in the Environment Gold Award Winner - Erlend Haarberg (Norway)
A rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) takes flight above the snow-clad mountains of Tysfjord, Norway.
Birds in the Environment, Silver Award Winner - Paul Mckenzie (Ireland)
This image shows a small flock of lesser (Phoeniconaias minor) and greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) as they fly over Lake Logipi in northern Kenya.
Birds in the Environment, Bronze Award Winner - Mario Suarez Porras (Spain)
A European shag (Gulosus Aristotelis) flies over a huge wave of about 8m (26.2ft) off the west coast of Asturias in northern Spain.
Attention to Detail, Gold Award Winner - Andy Pollard (Falkland Islands)
A close-up of a king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) chick with its brown ‘teddy bear’ plumage in Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands.
Attention to Detail, Bronze Award Winner - Sue Dougherty (USA)
Great northern diver (Gavia immer), Cariboo region, British Columbia, Canada. "I noted that the reflection in its eye was a ruby mirror of the trees on the lake shoreline," says the photographer.
Bird Behavior, Gold Award Winner - Peter Ismert (USA)
Two sage grouses (Centrocercus urophasianus) engaged in an intense duel in Colorado, US. Males usually fight to attract and impress females and show their superiority.
Bird Behavior, Silver Award Winner - Henley Spiers (UK)
Common guillemot (Uria aalge) in the Berwickshire Marine Reserve, Scotland. These birds are incredible free divers, and experts say that, of all flying birds, this species is the most efficient swimmer.
Bird Behaviour, Bronze Award Winner - Simon d'Entremont (Canada)
A Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) picking berries in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Urban Birds, Gold Award Winner - Ammar Alsayed Ahmed (UAE)
A flock of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) fly over the towering skyscraper buildings in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Urban Birds, Bronze Award Winner - Kerry Wu (USA)
A barred owl (Strix varia) looks over some rubbish in a creek that runs through an urban park in Hillsboro, Oregon, US.
Birds in Flight, Gold Award Winner - Raoul Slater (Australia)
The galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) is also known as the pink and grey cockatoo or rose-breasted cockatoo. Here, two pretty galahs have been snapped looking for spilled grain in Yelarbon, Queensland, Australia.
Birds in Flight, Silver Award Winner - Mark Williams (UK)
A common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) at night in Solihull, West Midlands, UK. "The colored gels on the flash heads add to the image, giving it a feeling that the bird is lurking in the shadow of the night."
Best Portrait, Gold Award Winner - Ly Dang (USA)
This is a sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Colorado, USA. They puff their chests, fan their tails, and inflate their bulbous yellow air sacs to win the right to mate.
Best Portrait, Silver Award Winner - Brad James (Canada)
A pair of Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) share an intimate moment in Elliston, Newfoundland, and Labrador, Canada.
Best Portrait, Bronze Award Winner - Richard Flack (South Africa)
These beautiful purple-crested turacos (Gallirex porphyreolophus) were spotted in a small conservancy in the Lower Mpushini area near Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. These birds are known for their glossy and colorful plumage.
Young Bird Photographer of the Year - Levi Fitze (Switzerland)
A dunlin (Calidris alpina) struggles with a small snowstorm in Heligoland, Germany.
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