Over the course of more than a year of planning, Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman aligned timing, location, and bird behavior to capture an extraordinary moment: a magnificent frigatebird soaring across the disk of a total solar eclipse. The image, taken along the coast of Sinaloa, Mexico, ultimately won the 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year title. The precision required for such an image underscores how much forethought and patience underpin truly remarkable wildlife photography.
The competition drew over 33,000 submissions globally, including entries from youth categories. With themes spanning Urban Birds, Best Portrait, and Birds in the Environment, the contest showcases both variety and depth in avian subjects. Among the notable works are depictions of a barn owl peering from a church niche in France, and swallows dancing over marigolds in India, each reflecting intimate engagement with habitat or behavior.
Partnership with conservation is built into the contest’s ethos: more than £5,000 were contributed to grassroots avian support efforts through a charity called Birds on the Brink. Through that linkage, the event fosters a connection between art and ecological responsibility, suggesting that aesthetic achievement and environmental activism need not be separate paths.
Even as the 2026 edition is now open, the 2025 winners linger in memory as benchmarks. Their work stands as a reminder that the most powerful images often emerge not from chance, but from sustained commitment, careful logistics, and a willingness to wait for the singular moment when everything aligns.
More info: BPOTY Website, Liron Gertsman’s Website (h/t: Colossal).
giganteus), Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
