Bold Parakeet Biting a Lizard’s Tail Wins SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year Contest

A bold parakeet defending its territory from a hungry monitor lizard wonHira PunjabitheSINWP Bird Photographer of the Year 2024competition.

Punjabi took the image at Keoladeo National Park in the north Indian state of Rajasthan.

This includes attacking any lizards or snakes that may have a go at feed on their eggs.

Parakeet biting a monitor lizard’s tail

Hira Punjabi, 1st Place“This image was taken in Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, in January 2024.This is a bird sanctuary where many migratory birds comes here in winter and some residents birds breeds here, January is very cold month and many times there is a mist and fog, I has observed this behavior if birds attacking snake and lizards, as they feed on bird eggs, last 30 years I am going here, but this time I was lucky, for continues observing 4 days the same dry tree, one morning a pair of Parakeets along with some 10 or 12 birds started attacking the lizards, the whole drama lasted for an hour or so, I had managed to shoot many images, but this one is my favorite.”

Stunning bird portraits were awarded second and third place.

Scroll down to see the winners and our favorites from the Very Highly Commended selection.

Here are the winners of the 2024 SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year contest.

Flying red grouse

Thomas McDonnell, 2nd Place“The Photo of the Red Grouse was taken in the North Antrim Hills near the town of Ballycastle.A friend of mine told me he had seen grouse in the area so I decided to use my free time to look for the grouse. Over a period of a few months of looking I eventually came across two males and a female. The males were calling at one another and flying across the road where I was parked, I watched them for an hour or so taking photos from the car, I decided to get out off the car as I was restricted in my movements, the birds seem to not care of my presence so I stood beside the car as one of the birds came right at me to go across the road to investigate the other bird, luckily I was able to to get the shot as it flew across the road.”

Over a period of a few months of looking I eventually came across two males and a female.

Maggie Bullock, 3rd PlaceThis shot of a Great Grey Owl was taken in Finland, near Kuusamo.

It was wonderful to see this wild bird in its natural environment against a snowy background.

Great grey owl landing in the snow

Maggie Bullock, 3rd Place“This shot of a Great Grey Owl was taken in Finland, near Kuusamo. The bird flew down to take a dead mouse and I managed to take a few shots of it approaching and landing. It was wonderful to see this wild bird in its natural environment against a snowy background. Taken from a raised path, where a step to either side would have resulted in sinking into deep snow, the shot was handheld using a fast shutter speed to capture the action.”

Mike Rowe, Very Highly Commended

Gary Neville.

Heron eating a fish