New Photography Book Both Captures the Stunning Birdlife of the Tropical Andes and Highlights Conservation

If you’ve ever tried to capture a hummingbird mid-hover or tried to capture a flash of feathers through the jungle with your camera, then you’ll appreciate the work behind Owen Deutsch’s latest project. Birds of the Tropical Andes, (releasing July 8th, 2025, Princeton University Press) is Deutch’s newest fine art photography book, this time focusing on the stunning avian life of South America’s high-altitude ecosystems.

The book was created in collaboration with Michael J. Parr, President of the American Bird Conservancy, and is a photographic journey through one of the most biodiverse mountain ranges on Earth. The Tropical Andes, stretches from Venezuela to northern Argentina, and is home to an astonishing array of bird species, many of which are found nowhere else on the planet.

Through a Photographer’s Lens

Deutsch brings his signature style of crisp, elegant bird portraits and dynamic habitat scenes to this new volume. From jewel-toned Tanagers to the elusive Andean Condor, Birds of the Tropical Andes presents more than 200 stunning full-colour images across 264 pages. Each photo is a visual treat and also a record of the photographer’s deep admiration for avian beauty and biodiversity.

“Both Michael and I have spent considerable time in the Andes independently, and we also carried out four joint photographic expeditions to the region,” Deutsch says. We are excited to release this new book, which features vivid bird photography as well as insights into the region’s habitats and the extraordinary birds that live there.

A Region Like No Other

The Tropical Andes is a biodiversity hotspot, home to some of the rarest and most spectacular birds on the planet. Deutsch and Parr’s book homes in on the upper and central regions, offering readers a vivid tour of high-altitude plateaus, lush alpine forests, and dense Amazonian jungles. The region supports more than 1,500 species of birds, more than the entire United States and Canada combined. Many of these birds are brilliantly colourful, maddeningly elusive, and uniquely adapted to their high-altitude homes.

Birds, Conservation, and Craft

The royalties from Birds of the Tropical Andes will be donated in full to the American Bird Conservancy, supporting their efforts to protect bird habitats across the Americas. With contributions from well-known conservationists and a foreword by ornithologist Álvaro Jaramillo, the book blends photography with advocacy which is increasingly important in a world where many species are at risk.

Authors and bird lovers alike have praised the book not only for its visuals but also for its role in raising awareness about the threats facing birds in the Andes and beyond.

Price and Availability

For nature photographers, birders, and lovers of wild places, Birds of the Tropical Andes is a worthy addition to the shelf, and a reminder of how much wonder still exists in the world, waiting to be seen through the lens.

You can order the book from Princeton University Press for $35. You can find out more from Owen’s website.

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