Bird photography prize showcases an ‘awe-inspiring’ natural world
- - Bird photography prize showcases an ‘awe-inspiring’ natural world
Nell Lewis, CNNSeptember 30, 2025 at 5:36 AM
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A giant petrel, its white feathers stained red with blood; a cormorant, feasting on a school of small fish; a lone bird perched on a sea of solar panels. All were among the winning images of Bird Photographer of the Year 2025.
The contest, in its 10th year, celebrates the beauty of birds while also supporting conservation efforts and raising awareness of the threats they face. This year’s contest attracted more than 25,000 image entries, all vying for the £3,000 ($4,000) grand prize.
Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman scooped it up for his striking image of a frigatebird silhouetted against a total solar eclipse. He took the image on the east coast of Sinaloa, Mexico, after more than a year of planning. Positioning his boat close to some small islands frequented by the seabirds, he patiently waited as the moon passed across the sun.
Liron Gertsman took over a year planning for this magnificent photo of a frigatebird in front of a solar eclipse. - Liron Gertsman/Bird Photographer of the Year
“Totality (when the moon completely covers the sun) was due to last almost 4.5 minutes,” said Gertsman in a press release. “As the moon uncovered the sun’s edge at the end of totality, I captured this magnificent frigatebird in front of the spectacular eclipse phase known as the ‘diamond ring’ – a moment that lasts mere seconds.”
Will Nicholls, director of Bird Photographer of the Year, said in a statement: “Exceptional photography takes technical excellence, artistic vision and dedication.”
“This photograph is a striking reminder of what human creativity can achieve. In a world increasingly filled with AI imagery, it’s refreshing to celebrate a picture that is both awe-inspiring and rooted in the natural world,” he added.
Conserving the natural world is at the heart of the competition, which is partnered with Birds on the Brink, a charity that provides funding to global avian conservation projects. Nicholls told CNN that the competition isn’t just about celebrating great pictures: “It’s about using them to tell stories that matter.”
“If these images encourage people to see birds differently – and recognize the need to safeguard them for future generations – then we’ve achieved something truly worthwhile.”
The awarded images are featured in a coffee table book published by Princeton University Press available online.
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