All 15 Winners of the 2025 Audubon Photography Awards

Sep 17, 2025

Matt Growcoot

A triptych: left shows two parrots in a tree beside a blurred road; center shows a flock of birds silhouetted against a cloudy sky with the sun; right shows a brown bird standing on straw near flames. — Photo credit: Shamir Shah, Liron Gertsman, and Luis Alberto Pena

The winners of the 2025 Audubon Photography Awards have been announced, with the competition crowning 15 still image winners.

The 16th edition of the awards sees it expand from the U.S to Chile and Colombia with new prizes that focus on migratory species, habitats, and conservation.

For the first time, judges awarded nine prizes to residents of Chile and Colombia, along with eight prizes awarded to residents of the United States and Canada. This year also presented the new Birds Without Borders Prize, depicting birds with migratory paths that cross international boundaries.

A kingfisher bursts out of the water, wings spread wide and droplets flying, with a blurred background and sunlight highlighting its feathers. — Ringed Kingfisher. Grand Prize Winner, Chile and Colombia. | Felipe Esteban Toledo Alarcón / Audubon Photography Awards

A group of birds is silhouetted against a dramatic cloudy sky, with a faint circular halo of light surrounding the sun in the background. — Magnificent Frigatebirds. Grand Prize Winner, United States and Canada. | Liron Gertsman / Audubon Photography Awards

A rocky cliff covered with seabirds at night, with the calm sea in the background and a star-filled sky featuring the Milky Way galaxy overhead. — Northern Gannets. Birds in Landscapes Winner, United States and Canada. | Joe Subolefsky / Audubon Photography Awards

A large flock of birds in flight, creating a dense, swirling pattern of blurred wings and feathers against a softly colored sky. The motion gives the image a dynamic, textured appearance. — Snow Geese. Birds Without Borders Winner, United States and Canada. | Yoshiki Nakamura / Audubon Photography Awards

Two parrots peek out from a tree cavity beside a busy urban road, with cars driving by and green foliage above. — Blue-headed Parrots. Birds in Landscapes, Colombia Winner. | Shamir Shah / Audubon Photography Awards

A group of flamingos stands in shallow, reflective water with mist, distant mountains, and a hazy sky in the background. The soft light creates a serene and tranquil atmosphere. — Chilean Flamingos. Birds in Landscapes, Chile Winner. | Caro Aravena Costa / Audubon Photography Awards

A small brown and white owl stands on wooden pallets, blending in with the weathered wood while staring directly at the camera. — Burrowing Owl. Conservation Winner, United States and Canada. | Jean Hall / Audubon Photography Awards

A small bird with a reddish-brown cap perches on a mossy branch, holding strands of nesting material in its beak, against a blurred, dark green background. — Chipping Sparrow. Female Bird Winner, United States and Canada. | Sean Pursley / Audubon Photography Awards

A black bird with iridescent feathers and blue eyes carries nesting material and pink flowers in its beak, wings outstretched against a dark, blurred background. — Brandt’s Cormorant. Plants for Birds Winner, United States and Canada. | Barbara Swanson / Audubon Photography Awards

A brown eagle stands on dry grass, looking alert, with flames and thick smoke rising in the background, suggesting a wildfire in progress. — Savanna Hawk. Conservation Winner, Chile and Colombia. | Luis Alberto Peña / Audubon Photography Awards

An adult oystercatcher with a long orange beak feeds food to a fluffy chick standing nearby on rocky ground near water. — American Oystercatchers. Coastal Birds Winner, Chile and Colombia. | Francisco Castro Escobar / Audubon Photography Awards

Two white birds with black markings, one perched and one in flight, interact as the flying bird passes a fish to the perched bird, likely feeding its chick, against a softly blurred, bright background. — Royal Terns. Birds Without Borders Winner, Chile and Colombia. | Jacobo Giraldo Trejos / Audubon Photography Awards

A small bird with black, white, and yellow markings perches on a mossy branch, pecking at an insect or food item. Lush green leaves fill the blurry background. — Blackburnian Warbler. Youth Winner, Chile and Colombia. | Camilo Sanabria Grajales / Audubon Photography Awards

A vibrant purple hummingbird hovers in mid-air, feeding from a cluster of bright yellow flowers with green foliage in the background. — Purple-backed Thornbill. Plants for Birds, Colombia Winner. | Cristian Valencia / Audubon Photography Awards

An owl flies low over tall golden grass in a sunlit field, with blurred trees and a soft, misty background at sunrise or sunset. — Long-eared Owl. Youth Winner, United States and Canada. | Parham Pourahmad / Audubon Photography Awards

Winners and honorable mentions are published online in Audubon magazine and will be featured in the Fall 2025 print issue. The annual Top 100 and additional select photos and videos will also be shared in digital galleries promoted on Audubon’s website.

The 2026 Audubon Photography Awards will open for entries on January 15, 2026. Visit Audubon’s website for details on the Chile and Colombia and U.S. and Canada contests, as well as information about Audubon Americas and Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.