Bird on the fence and other winning photos

The Bird Photographer of the Year award has been announced, with Canadian photographer Patricia Homonylo taking home the top prize for her thought-provoking photograph titled When Worlds Collide.

The photo was taken in Toronto and beat out more than 23,000 entries for the award.

The photo shows more than 4,000 birds that died after crashing into windows and other bright spots in the city.

“Each year more than a billion birds die in North America alone because of window collisions,” said Homonylo.

“I’m a conservation photographer and I’ve been working with the Fatal Light Awareness Program, where we save survivors of window crashes in Toronto.

“The sad thing is that many of the birds we find are dead.

“They are collected and at the end of the year we create this impactful display to honor the lives lost and raise public awareness.”

Homonylo’s entry was among the finalists nominated for the Conservation (Single Image) category.

The Young Photographer of the Year 2024 was awarded to 14-year-old Spanish photographer Andrés Luis Domínguez Blanco for his creative angle on a nuthatch gnawing at the base of an oak tree.

Photographers competed in eight different categories in the adult competition, including the Conservation Award, Portfolio Award, and Video Award.

Here is a selection of images that have been awarded gold, silver or bronze, with descriptions of the photographers.

“This young Peregrine Falcon had been flying for over a week and his skills had improved by the day.

“When he was still taking food from his parents, he had started practicing hunting.

“He wasn’t ready to catch live birds in the air yet, so he took baby steps by chasing a fluttering butterfly.

“I’ve been photographing peregrines for years, and this was the first time I’d seen chicks playing with butterflies.”

“For a few weeks each year, the Black Grouse congregate [the] leks early spring dating and display.

“The men come down, each looking for his place, and spend several hours measuring each other, charging each other, engaging in mock battles.

“However, sometimes encounters escalate into actual fighting.

“The hot air of a lone warrior blowing in the cold air, I captured sitting inside a small photo booth, enjoying the sounds and sights of this ancient game.”

“In winter, I am amazed by the aerial ballet of garden birds that come to visit my trees and take advantage of the seeds I have laid for them.

“Cleverly disguised, I tried to immortalize their flight and its soft trail using flash and camera in ‘back curtain’ mode.

“Hundreds of shots are needed before I capture the perfect moment, showing the magic of nature passing through winter.”

“Here we see three northern gannets diving into the sea on a hot day in Shetland. .

“This species is Scotland’s largest seabird, and is incredibly smart in the water, able to dive as deep as 22 metres.

“I took this photo while diving from a boat near Noss, which is home to the UK’s seventh largest colony of northern gannets.

“Previously, the population was estimated at around 25,000 birds, although their number has unfortunately decreased significantly due to the outbreak of bird flu.

“It is not clear when the population will recover, if ever. Dead herring from the herring fishery has been used to lure these birds to the boat.”

“This photo shows a gray-headed grebe as it disappears underwater to feed, plunging into the depths with its large paddle-like feet.

“I took the picture from a high place above the swamp.

“With a little thought, the combination of the bird and the ripples looks like a hippo’s head.”

“We were on a trip, and returning to camp at Sabi Sands, South Africa, on a dark March night.

“We stopped, we heard strange sounds, although we were not sure what they were.

“Then we heard a commotion and fluttering above us.

“When we were shining a light on the car, we saw these helmets huddled together in the night that was starting to get cold.”

“Goosanders breed in a park about one kilometer from Poland’s life-giving Vistula River.

“Each mother must move her children to the river as soon as possible because of the lack of food and safety in the park.

“They travel through a series of underground passages and over a six-lane highway.

“Every year a group of volunteers helps them cross this dangerous road by stopping the traffic.

“This photo shows a mother goosander crossing a narrow street because she decided not to use the scary, dark corridor below her.”

“This heartbreaking photo captures the sad reality of one of Bali’s bird markets.

“The love birds are facing each other in different cages, they seem to be saying their last goodbyes, not knowing if they will see each other again.

“Who knows what joys they could have had together in their lush rainforests and what they will experience again.

“Their silent communication transcends physical barriers, emphasizing the complex interplay between the longing for freedom and the desire to escape captivity for human happiness.”

“I took this photo on a beautiful beach in the Baltic Sea.

“There are lots of waders and other birds here, but also lots of tourists enjoying the beautiful scenery.

“This time there was also a dog that didn’t see the gray plover. However, the gray plover saw the dog and flew away right after taking the picture.

“Although I do not believe that this incident has stressed the bird too much, it is important to be aware of the potential impact of human activities and tourism on protected animals and their habitats.”

“Lake Federsee is a popular winter destination for many migratory birds.

“From November to March, Eurasian bitterns frequent this lake.

As soon as the lake freezes, these rare birds retreat to the canals between the reeds.

“What is surprising is that this person was very close to the road that passes through the park.

“From there, I could easily watch its fishing expedition and take many pictures.”