The Surreal Image That Won Bird Photographer Of The Year 2025
Bird photography has a special way of stopping time. Whether it’s a hawk frozen mid-flight or a tiny songbird resting in the sun, these moments remind us how incredible the natural world can be when seen up close.
Every year, thousands of photographers head outdoors at sunrise, wait in silence for hours, and press the shutter at just the right moment. The Bird Photographer of the Year competition exists to celebrate exactly that kind of dedication, and the 2025 winners have officially been revealed.
This year’s grand prize winner is a jaw-dropping example of perfect timing and vision. Out of more than 33,000 entries submitted by photographers worldwide, Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman emerged victorious with a surreal and almost otherworldly shot.
His winning image features a magnificent frigatebird gliding across the sky, perfectly silhouetted against the backdrop of a total solar eclipse in Mexico. The precise alignment of the bird and the eclipse makes the photo feel like something out of a dream, a rare natural phenomenon framed by a creature known for its grace and power.
Gertsman’s dedication paid off with the £3,500 top prize, securing his place among the world’s leading bird photographers. In his words, capturing that moment felt like “watching nature write its own masterpiece in real time.”
Across 11 different categories, photographers showcased the diversity of birdlife in every corner of the globe, from delicate close-ups that highlight feathers like delicate brushstrokes to dramatic scenes of predators in action.
Whether shot in forests, wetlands, deserts, or backyards, the images reveal the striking complexity, vulnerability, and strength of bird species both familiar and rare.
Birds In Flight, Gold Award And Bird Photographer Of The Year 2025: The Frigatebird And The Diamond Ring By Liron Gertsman, Canada
Urban Birds, Silver Award: Urban Incubator By Tomáš Grim, Czech Republic
Best Portrait, Silver Award: Voice Of The Ash Forest By Maxime Legare - Vezina, Canada
Conservation (Single Image), Bronze Award: Vanishing Species By Hira Punjabi, India
Black And White, Bronze Award: On My Own By Jim Lee, Singapore
Urban Boreds, Bronze Award: Sainte Trinité By Benoit Henrion, France
Birds In The Environment, Gold Award: Feasting At Sunset By Franco Banfi, Switzerland
Birds In Flight, Silver Award: Through The Marigolds By Baiju Patil, India
Urban Birds, Gold Award: Feathered On Panels By Alex Pansier, Netherlands
15 - 17 Years, Gold Award: Jewel Of The Forest By Harry Sedin, Sweden
Bird Behaviour, Silver Award: King Of The Forest By Mateusz Piesiak, Poland
Birds In The Environment, Gold Award: Feasting At Sunset By Franco Banfi, Switzerland
Birds In Flight, Bronze Award: Overflight By Tibor Litauszki, Hungary
Bird Behaviour, Bronze Award Swollen Chest By Chen Ein-Dor, Israel
11 And Under, Gold Award: Graceful Flight Over Wild Bloom By Sasha Jumanca, Germany
Best Portrait, Bronze Award: Snowstorm By Luca Lorenz, Germany
Creative Perspectives, Silver Award: Landing In A Sea Of Swans By Andreas Hemb, Sweden
Black And White, Gold Award: The Giant By Jannik Jansons, Germany
Birds In The Environment, Bronze Award: Triumphant Arrival By Steffen Foerster, Germany
Black And White, Silver Award: Black And White Swan By Raoul Slater, Australia
Best Portrait, Gold Award: Bloody Petrel By Steffen Foerster, Germany
Conservation (Single Image), Gold Award: Radiographing By Sarthak Agrawal, India
Creative Perspectives, Bronze Award: Under Your Nose By Jim Lee, Singapore
Creative Perspectives, Gold Award: Photo Art By Philipp Egger, Italy
15 - 17 Years, Gold Award And Young Bird Photographer Of The Year 2025: Minimalist Wings By Tomasz Michalski, Poland
Conservation (Single Image), Silver Award: Trapped By Charlotte Keast, United Kingdom
The Bird Photographer of the Year competition continues to prove just how powerful a single frame can be, not only as art but as a reminder of why these creatures deserve admiration and protection.
Want to explore the full collection of winning photos? Visit birdpoty.com or follow the competition on Instagram, Facebook, or X for more breathtaking bird moments captured through the lenses of passionate photographers.
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