2020 Bird Photographer of the Year winning image turns birds into impressionistic art

I’ve always loved birds and appreciated their company while chilling in the backyard of my family home. The 2020 winners of Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) bring the fascinating world of birds even closer to us. In this article, we bring you the overall winner as well as category winners. The selection of marvelous photos shows the birds’ behavior, their wonderful and quirky features, and their interaction with the environment.

Now in its fifth year, the contest has received over 15,000 entries from amateur and professional photographers from all over the world. The contest is organized by charity organization Birds on the Brink, and profits go directly toward conservation efforts.

The Bird Photographer of the year 2020 is Majed AlZa’abi from Kuwait for his photo End of the Day. It’s an impressionistic image of a European Shag taken at Vardø, Norway. Majed’s image was also the winner in the Best Portrait category.

“I was thrilled to receive the news that I had won the prestigious award Bird Photographer of the Year 2020,” Majed said. “It was also wonderful to receive the news about the conservation drive being undertaken by BPOTY and the launch of its charity owner Birds on the Brink. It is great news to think that the artistry of my image will not only inspire fellow photographers but will also help spread the conservation message far and wide.”

The judges have also recognized the winner of the Inspirational Encounters Award 2020. For this contest, the entrants submitted an image that represents an inspirational encounter with birds accompanied by approximately 150 words of text. The winner of this contest is Gail Bisson from Canada with his stunning photo of a Providence Petrel taken off Lord Howe Island, Australia.

BPOTY also recognizes the Best Portfolio. The winner for 2020 is Georgina Steytler from Australia. This prize rewards consistency of skill and photographic talent over a series of 6 images as scored by the judges.

The winner of the Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2020 competition is also announced. Adam Lake from the United Kingdom won this prize for his innovative use of a phone camera to capture this beautiful reflection of a Mute Swan entitled Seeing Double.

The judges selected the best images in eight other contest categories:

1. Best Portrait
2. Birds in the Environment
3. Attention to Detail
4. Bird Behaviour
5. Birds in Flight
6. Garden and Urban Birds
7. Creative Imagery
8. Black and White

Take a look at the remaining category winners below and make sure to check out BPOTY’s website for more information. The complete selection of photos is also available as a photo book, and you can find it here.

Best Portrait

Birds in the Environment

Attention to Detail

Bird Behaviour

Birds in Flight

Garden and Urban Birds

Creative Imagery

Black and White

[via Colossal]