Bird Photographer of the Year Award Winner Spent a Year Planning the Shot

The Bird Photographer of the Year 2025 award winners have been announced, and as usual, they’re nothing short of jaw-dropping. Taking the grand prize is Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman, who spent over a year plotting the perfect setup to capture his dream shot: a frigatebird in silhouette against the blazing “diamond ring” of a total solar eclipse over Mexico. Out of more than 33,000 entries, his image soared to the top, securing him the £3,500 grand prize in what’s become the world’s biggest bird photography competition.

Alongside Gertsman, a new generation of talent is making waves too. 16-year-old Polish photographer Tomasz Michalski claimed Young Bird Photographer of the Year with a moody vulture silhouette, proving the next generation of bird photographers is already here.

Bird Photographer of the Year 2025

GOLD AWARD Birds in Flight – Liron Gertsman, Canada

The Frigatebird and the Diamond Ring – Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregatta magnificens. Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico

“After well over a year of planning and about a week of in-person scouting on the coast of Sinaloa in Mexico, my dream of capturing a bird in front of a total solar eclipse finally came true on April 8, 2024. Totality was due to last almost 4.5 minutes, and I had enlisted the help of a boat to position myself near some islets off Mazatlán that were frequented by seabirds. 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 just seconds.”

Best Portrait

GOLD AWARD – Steffen Foerster, Germany
Bloody Petrel – Southern Giant Petrel, Macronectes giganteus. Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

“Giant petrels are the scavengers of the Southern Ocean, often seen feeding on carrion. This individual has its head stained red with blood from a recent meal. Although their feeding habits may seem gruesome, these birds play a vital role in the ecosystem by preventing the spread of disease. Despite their appearance, giant petrels are surprisingly devoted parents, with both males and females taking turns incubating their single egg and guarding their chick for weeks. Once heavily persecuted for their oil, their populations have rebounded thanks to conservation efforts, although they still face threats from fishing practices and climate change.”

Bird Behaviour

GOLD AWARD – Francesco Guffanti, Italy
Angel or Demon – Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos. Aosta Valley, Italy

“A Red Deer killed by a car in the pine forest near to where I live provided a fantastic opportunity to document the activity of carnivores and scavengers visiting the carcass. With the help of a friend I positioned and camouflaged a motion sensor and two mirrorless cameras nearby. To avoid any disturbance I avoided the use of flashes or any other type of artificial light. After foxes, crows and some small birds had paid a visit, most unexpectedly, and despite the thick blanket of branches, a Golden Eagle appeared and descended to feed on the carcass. It was an unforgettable experience.”

Birds in the Environment

GOLD AWARD – Franco Banfi, Switzerland
Feasting at Sunset – Brandt’s Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus. Espíritu Santos, Mexico

“I was in the Sea of Cortez, near Los Islotes, a fistful of rocks that is part of the Espíritu Santo archipelago, to document the unbelievable recovery of this marine protected area. Los Islotes is the southernmost breeding site of the Californian Sea Lion in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is a wonderfully wild place for many other reasons. I was fascinated by the extraordinary skills and elegance of Brandt’s Cormorants as they fed on an almost endless school of small pilchards. Most of the hunting activities took place at sunset, when the low natural light conditions were challenging. But on one occasion the conditions were favourable and I was able to take this particular image that gives a three-dimensional perspective.”

Black and White

GOLD AWARD – Jannik Jansons, Germany
The Giant – European Shag and Common Guillemot, Gulosus aristotelis and Uria aalge. Hornøya, Varanger, Norway

“Using a wide-angle lens, I photographed a shag taking off on the Norwegian island of Hornøya. In the image it looks like a gigantic bird flying over all the others, but in reality the bird is flying very close to the lens and therefore appears much larger. Because of the very small aperture, the sun is captured as a star through the blades of the lens. The conversion to black and white reinforces the confusing perspective, as the details are hard to see and it is more difficult to determine the birds’ relative size.”

Creative Perspectives

GOLD AWARD – Philipp Egger, Italy
Photo Art – Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis. Alps, Italy

“My idea behind this photograph was to capture a kingfisher flying over a piece of artwork so that the two became merged. To achieve this, I mounted my camera on a dead fallen tree across a small stream and pointed it vertically downwards at the artwork positioned just above the water’s surface. I then waited for days in my camouflaged tent not far away triggering the camera with a radio remote release when the bird flew over the picture.”

Urban Birds

GOLD AWARD – Alex Pansier, Netherlands
Feathered on Panels – Carrion Crow, Corvus corone. Near a highway, Netherlands

“A lone bird rests on a vast field of solar panels alongside a highway in the Netherlands – a striking symbol of the tension between green energy and nature. As we transition to sustainable power, the infrastructure often claims scarce space that could have been left for wildlife. This spontaneous moment captures that paradox: progress requires space, but at what cost to nature? No bait was used – just a fleeting encounter between a bird and a modern-day monoculture.”

Conservation (Single Image)

GOLD AWARD – Sarthak Agrawal, India
Radiographing – Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Hierococcyx varius. Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India

“This pictured is of an injured juvenile Common Hawk-Cuckoo that had been rescued after being hit by a vehicle in the city. The bird had taken shelter under a parked car before being rescued by the ManwithIndies Foundation and sent for treatment under the forest department’s guidance. To assess the damage to its wings, a radiograph was obtained after anesthetising the bird. Common Hawk-Cuckoos are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of smaller urban birds like sunbirds, prinias, and tailorbirds. While these smaller birds have adapted well to urban environments, the much larger hawk-cuckoo struggles to navigate and survive. Every year, several cuckoo chicks are found under similar circumstances, and foundations like ManwithIndies rescue many of them.”

15-17 Years

GOLD AWARD AND YOUNG BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2025 – Tomasz Michalski, Poland
Minimalist Wings – Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus. Popoyo, Nicaragua

“I took this photo during the biggest trip of my life, which was to Central America in July 2024, in the first country we visited, Nicaragua. I saw this big vulture drying its wings on a pole close to our hotel. I was being watched by the bird but it was very calm so I had a long time to photograph it. The scenery wasn’t beautiful so I decided to frame it with only part of the bird being in the photo. I tried various combinations and this one is my favourite.”

12-14 Years

GOLD AWARD – Harry Sedin, Sweden
Jewel of the Forest – ‘I‘iwi, Drepanis coccinea. Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii, United States

“Haleakalā National Park is infamous for altitude sickness, but visiting it led me to an unforgettable moment. Feeling lightheaded at nine thousand feet, we turned back and stopped at Hosmer Grove Campground. The moment I stepped out, flashes of red flickered through the trees, three to four ‘I‘iwi landing on a sunlit bush. With harsh light and no clouds above us, I underexposed the shot, creating a black background that made the bird’s scarlet feathers glow. The altitude may have made me miss out on a Short-eared Owl, but it gave me the perfect opportunity to capture Hawaii’s iconic honeycreeper in stunning contrast.”

11 and Under

GOLD AWARD – Sasha Jumanca, Germany
Graceful Flight Over Wild Bloom – European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster. Mahmudia, Romania

“While exploring the Danube Delta in Romania this summer, I discovered a European Bee-eater colony in a nesting cliff where the birds were tirelessly chasing prey for their chicks nestled in the burrows. The birds were flying over a field of wildflowers, whose colours beautifully mirrored the bee-eaters’ plumage. I was captivated by their agility as they swiftly changed speed and direction, tracking insects through the air. After many attempts, I finally captured this bird in flight, its wings fully spread, showing the beautiful colours of its feathers in great harmony with the flowers.”

You can see all the winning images on the Bird POTY website.

---