Hokey Pokey by Danny Lee.
Bird Portrait winner.Bird: Shy AlbatrossShy Albatross are regular visitors to boats in Tasmania.
Bird lovers, rejoice.
“Hokey Pokey” by Danny Lee. Bird Portrait winner.Bird: Shy Albatross“Shy Albatross are regular visitors to boats in Tasmania. They are often intrigued when I slip into the water with them, and they can get quite confident in approaching to see if my camera gear is edible or not. The conditions were perfect this day, and usually just having an Albatross so close is usually enough, but the ominous sky certainly added more drama to the shot.”
From over 5,600 photos, the winners of theBirdLife Australia Photography Awardshave been announced.
This makes the contest a fascinating way to learn more about the striking avian life that lives in Australia.
Each year, the awards have one category that focuses on a specific bird species native to Australia.
“In the footsteps of Pretender” by Elmar Akhmetov. Portfolio Winner.Bird: Superb Lyrebird“This portfolio comprises photos of a single lyrebird who I closely followed over the course of 3 months while working on a short film on lyrebirds. I have spent over a hundred hours in the bush and witnessed the most interesting scenes of his behavior in a variety of weather conditions. My idea for selection of photos for the portfolio was not to represent the bird in all the beautiful display poses, but to try and condense my experience of observation into a short form to give the viewers an idea of the behavior of the bird outside of endless hours of feeding. This is my ode to this wonderful bird known to many locals as Pretender.”
This year’s special category was a spotlight on Australasian Robins.
There are 51 species of these birds that are endemic to Australasia.
The 2022 BirdLife Australia Photography Awards celebrate avian life across Australia.
“Over the Rainbow” by Nathan Watson. Human Impact winner.Bird: Western Rosella“The wheels of a car speed past the lifeless body of a beautiful Western Rosella, victim of a car strike. For all the impact us humans have on birds, road mortality is perhaps the most overlooked. In Australia it is estimated around 10 million animals are killed on our roads every year and it is threatening whole species. A large number of those deaths are birds like parrots, which are often lured into danger by spilled grain along the roadsides.”
In the footsteps of Pretender by Elmar Akhmetov.
This is my ode to this wonderful bird known to many locals as Pretender.
Over the Rainbow by Nathan Watson.
“Alight” by Alex France. Shortlist, Special Theme, Australasian Robins.Bird: Eastern Yellow Robin
For all the impact us humans have on birds, road mortality is perhaps the most overlooked.
Alight by Alex France.
Shortlist, Special Theme, Australasian Robins.Bird: Eastern Yellow Robin
Feed Me yo by Cheng Kang.
“Feed Me Please” by Cheng Kang. Bird Behaviour Winner.Bird: Eurasian Coot and Little Pied Cormorant“I was so surprised to see an eurasian coot asking for food from a little pied cormorant. When I first saw them getting closer with mouths gaping, I couldn’t help but think – are they going to fight? In fact, the little pied cormorant ended up spitting out some food for its counterpart. I was so amazed and touched to see this act of charity among birds of different species and made me think about my expectations of how nature interacts. It turns out birds not of a feather also flock together!”
In fact, the little pied cormorant ended up spitting out some food for its counterpart.
It turns out birds not of a feather also flock together!
Pearl by Lawrence Chan.
“Pearl” by Lawrence Chan. Shortlist, Birds in Flight.Bird: Red Wattlebird
Shortlist, Birds in Flight.Bird: Red Wattlebird
Kookaburra by GD Smith.
Shortlist, Bird Portrait.Bird: Kookaburra
NipNip by Austin Ridley-Jarvis.
We have named her NipNip.
“Kookaburra” by GD Smith. Shortlist, Bird Portrait.Bird: Kookaburra
I am able to get incredibly close to NipNip as she peers down from her favorite tree.
My reflection is visible in her eyes.
Morning Serenity by Desmond Wang.
“NipNip” by Austin Ridley-Jarvis. Peter Slater Memorial Prize, Youth Entrant.Bird: Australian Boobook Owl“A close up portrait of a wild Australian Boobook Owl that has taken up residence in a park opposite my home in Quinns Rock, WA. We have named her NipNip. I am able to get incredibly close to NipNip as she peers down from her favorite tree. My reflection is visible in her eyes.”
After a while, a group of Australian Wood Ducks decided to join them.
Over 5,600 photographs were submitted to this year’s competition.
Berries for Lunch by Cheng Kang.
“Morning Serenity” by Desmond Wang. Youth Photography Winner.Bird: Australasian Wood Duck“In an early autumn morning, just before sunrise, I laid down on mud at a local park, trying to photograph coots and grebes that were feeding. After a while, a group of Australian Wood Ducks decided to join them. The fog caused the camera to miss focus a couple of times, and after many attempts, I finally captured this duck landing.”
Shortlist, Bird Behavior.Bird: Silvereye
Leaning In by Rebecca Harrison.
What’s Mine is Yours by Rebecca Harrison.
Shortlist, Bird Behavior.Bird: Fairy Tern
Emu Mist by Christian Spencer.
“Berries for Lunch” by Cheng Kang. Shortlist, Bird Behavior.Bird: Silvereye
Shortlist, Birds in the Landscape.Bird: Emu
Taking Offence by Simon Cherriman.
Shortlist, Human Impact.Bird: Southern Boobook
Salute to the Sun by Finnian Bissell.
Shortlist, Youth.Bird: Olive-back Sunbird
Contemplating… by Jacob Dedman.
“Leaning In” by Rebecca Harrison. Backyard Birds Winner.Bird: Galah“This clever female Galah had worked out how to get to the tasty grass seeds by climbing up the side fence and leaning out as far as she could to grab them swaying in the breeze.”
Shortlist, Youth.Bird: Australian Pelican
Hiding Wren by Mitchell Roberts.
Now I just needed a subject.
White-faced Storm Petrel by John Harrison.
“What’s Mine is Yours” by Rebecca Harrison. Shortlist, Bird Behavior.Bird: Fairy Tern
Birds in Flight Winner.Bird: White-faced Storm PetrelA flying white-faced storm petrel skiing on the water.
The sentinel by Maria Coleman.
It was a very cool and foggy area but the birds could see what they were doing.
“Emu Mist” by Christian Spencer. Shortlist, Birds in the Landscape.Bird: Emu
Daylight by Warren Wilson.
Shortlist, Backyard Birds.Bird: Satin Bowerbird
Carpark Curlews by Jan McMenamin.
I was struck by their shy but slightly wicked gaze.
“Taking Offence” by Simon Cherriman. Shortlist, Human Impact.Bird: Southern Boobook
Pink Robin by Ravi Arora.
Shortlist, Special Theme, Australasian Robins.Bird: Pink Robin
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“Salute to the Sun” by Finnian Bissell. Shortlist, Youth.Bird: Olive-back Sunbird
“Contemplating…” by Jacob Dedman. Shortlist, Youth.Bird: Australian Pelican
“Hiding Wren” by Mitchell Roberts. Peter Slater Memorial Prize.Bird: Superb Fairy-wren“Most days I’m done taking photos 2 hours after sunrise but this day I went with a mate and we kept on shooting which made me change gear of taking the photos I always aim for and seeing what I can create. Knowing that light coming from singular sources create bokeh spheres, so I focused on the water which now was reflecting very strong light, I could see it dancing back and forth. Now I just needed a subject. The benefit of returning to the same locations time and time again I knew that it wouldn’t take long before I would see some wrens jumping through the trees and shrubs that lined the banks.”
“White-faced Storm Petrel” by John Harrison. Birds in Flight Winner.Bird: White-faced Storm Petrel“A flying white-faced storm petrel skiing on the water. Storm petrels regularly exhibit this behavior whilst searching for food on the water’s surface, but I have never seen such a perfectly timed photo of the moment of impact.”
“The sentinel” by Maria Coleman. Birds in the Landscape Winner.Bird: Australian Pelican“The birds were hunting in the water and moving through the fog and dead trees. It was a very cool and foggy area but the birds could see what they were doing. Up above perched in the dead trees was one lonely Pelican which seemed to be on patrol of the wetland.”
“Daylight” by Warren Wilson. Shortlist, Backyard Birds.Bird: Satin Bowerbird
“Carpark Curlews” by Jan McMenamin. Peter Slater Memorial Prize.Bird: Bush-stone Curlews“This group of Bush-Stone Curlews awaited me early one morning as I pulled into the car park next to the botanic gardens. They looked out of place but, at the same time, confident in this environment and accepting of my presence. I was struck by their shy but slightly wicked gaze. Their feather patterning and the lines and textures of their man-made surroundings led me to render this image in black and white.”
“Pink Robin” by Ravi Arora. Shortlist, Special Theme, Australasian Robins.Bird: Pink Robin
