Beautiful Birds Celebrated in the 2024 Audubon Photography Awards

A composite image shows two scenes: on the left, a wild turkey spreads its wings while walking on railroad tracks; on the right, a small bird perches on a green plant stem beside yellow flowers, appearing to chirp with its beak open.

The National Audubon Society has announced the winners of the 2024 Audubon Photography Awards with a photo of a pair of squabbling Backburnian warblers scooping the top prize.

Now in its fifteenth year, the contest features stunning work from professionals, amateurs, and young people that highlights the beauty of birds and the joy of capturing that through photographs and videos.

The judges awarded nine prizes, including the new Birds in Landscapes Prize for the top image depicting the relationship between birds and their surroundings. Winning entries and honorable mentions were chosen from more than 2,300 entrants from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and nine Canadian provinces and one territory.

Two brightly colored birds with yellow, black, and orange plumage engage in an animated interaction on the ground, their wings spread wide. The scene captures the dynamic movement and vivid colors of the birds' feathers against a soft, blurred background.
Grand Prize Winner. Two Blackburnian warblers squabble in Promised Land State Park in Pennsylvania. | Mathew Malwitz/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Grand Prize Winner
Six white birds with black-tipped wings are captured in mid-flight against a stark white background. The image has a minimalist and serene quality, emphasizing the grace and elegance of the birds as they soar through the air.
Professional Winner. Seven willow ptarmigans are barely perceptible against a white sky in Yukon, Canada. | Liron Gertsman/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Professional Winner
A black and white seabird with a bright orange beak is captured mid-flight, twisting its body and shaking off water droplets. Its wings and tail feathers are spread wide, and water droplets create a dynamic effect against a blurred gray background.
Professional Honorable Mention. A Forster’s tern belly up in the air in Mountain View, California, USA. | Kevin Lohman/Audubon Photography Awards/2024
A dusk sky filled with birds sitting on power lines, silhouetted against the evening light. The wires are densely populated, and more birds are in flight, creating a striking pattern. Below, illuminated red traffic lights can be seen.
Amateur Winner. A corner of Austin, Texas is dotted with great-tailed grackles. | Tristan Vratil/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Amateur Winner
A barred owl perches on a branch while holding a squirrel in its talons. The owl's feathers are fluffed out, and it gazes directly at the camera. The background features bare branches and a few scattered red berries, suggesting a wintery setting.
Amateur Honorable Mention. A barred owl hangs near its prey. | Erin Boisvert/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Amateur Honorable Mention
A small black-capped chickadee clings to a curved, fluffy reed in a green, grassy environment. The bird is facing to the left, showcasing its black cap, white cheeks, and grayish body. The background is blurred, highlighting the bird and the reed.
Plants for Birds Winner. A black-capped chickadee on a broad-leaf cattail. | Linda Scher/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Plants For Birds Winner
A small bird with brown and white feathers clings to two tall green stalks, surrounded by yellow flower blossoms. The bird has its beak open as if singing and is perched in a lush, green natural setting.
Plants for Birds Honorable Mention. A sedge wren on a gray-head coneflower in Ontario. | Trisha Snider/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Plants For Birds Honorable Mention
Two American kestrels are perched on a wooden post against a blurred, dark green background. The one at the top has its wings spread wide, while the other bird is positioned directly below it, both casting intricate shadows on the post.
Youth Winner. An American kestrel in San Jose. | Parham Pourahmad/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Youth Winner
A close-up of a Red-necked Grebe family in water. An adult Grebe, with a chestnut neck and gray head, is feeding a small fish to a chick with white and dark stripes on its head, while another chick nestles against the other adult's feathers in the background.
Youth Honorable Mention. Red-necked grebes in Ontario. | Edwin ​​Liu/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Youth Honorable Mention
Close-up of two small rocks hitting a still body of water, captured just as they create splashes and droplets mid-air, illuminated against a dark background, with ripples moving outward from the points of impact. The lighting emphasizes the motion and fluid detail.
Fisher Prize Winner. A common gallinule in Tarpon Springs, Florida. | Douglas DeFelice/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Fisher Prize Winner
A wild turkey stands and spreads its wings while walking along a railroad track. The surrounding area features autumn foliage with scattered leaves on the ground and blurred industrial elements in the background.
Female Bird Prize Winner. A wild turkey roams across a train track in Minnesota. | Travis Potter/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Female Bird Prize Winner
A bird perches atop a bush in a sunlit, grassy landscape. The background is bathed in a warm, golden glow from the setting or rising sun, with silhouettes of distant vegetation creating a serene, natural scene.
Birds in Landscapes Prize Winner. A California quail in Santa Cruz. | Kevin Lohman/Audubon Photography Awards/2024 Birds in Landscapes Prize Winner

For the first time, the competition awarded the Birds in Landscapes Prize, which was introduced to draw attention to how birds connect with their broader surroundings. Whether the setting is wild, urban, or suburban, or the relationship is symbiotic or reflects a specific challenge birds face.

The winner of the Grand Prize received $5,000 with the other category winners receiving either $2,500 or $1,000. For more, head to Audubon’s website.

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