2025 winners announced

BirdLife Australia and BirdLife Photography are thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s BirdLife Australia Photography Awards!

This year’s competition saw thousands of entries from some of Australia’s best bird photographers – and after much deliberation, our judges have decided the winners of each category from their shortlist. Congratulations to the winning and shortlisted entrants!

To view the photos in full size, just click on an image. You can scroll through using the arrows or your keyboard’s left and right keys, or if you’re on mobile, simply swipe left or right. To get back to the shortlist page and view another category, click the X in the top right corner. Happy viewing!

Photo descriptions are only visible on desktop. To read full descriptions for each category, select ‘Categories’ in the page header.

BirdLife Photographer of the Year

Preening Ones Feathers by Angela Farnsworth

Why this image won: a note from our judges

“This image stood out as these much-maligned birds are often overlooked. The image is perfectly composed, with the dark tones in the feathers never losing detail.  It’s refreshing to see a Brush-turkey photographed in a such an endearing way.”  — Angela Robertson-Buchanan (Judge)

“The red neck of the Brush-turkey stands out against the black background and so draws the viewers eye into the essence of the subject. The eye is matching the background, and the textures enhance the ugly beauty of the Brush-turkey. Although the feathers are black there is a difference to the background and there is a lot of detail in those dark tones.” — Peter O’Brien (Judge)

“At the start of this competition I would not have envisaged a Brush-turkey as being the subject of the winning image. The photographer has captured the bird preening in a unique and compelling way. While the image is dark, the detail is good and the neck and head, responsible for the activity, stand out beautifully.” — Gary King (Judge)

“An image that stood out from the crowd, displaying intricate feather detail and a stark contrast of red against black in a striking composition, drawing attention to a beautiful dark liquid eye. Soft glowing light separates black feathers from a black background and along with the partially hidden face, create a sense of mystery and emotion. A common bird photographed in a stunning and unique way.” — Melissa Zappelli (Judge)

Winners

Category Winners

Portfolio Winner

The fight for survival – Australian Fairy Tern by Donald Chin

The Australian Fairy Terns are facing continuous threats from decreasing population numbers. Each year, there are reports of decreasing nesting colonies. This series captures an intimate and dynamic narrative of coastal tern life.The series begins with a parent tern returning to its chicks with freshly caught fish, a poignant moment that celebrates the dedication and rhythm of avian parenting. In a close interaction, the chicks exhibit early survival instincts: competition, hunger and urgency, a reminder of the fragility and fierceness of life in the wild. A dramatic territorial defence unfolds mid-air between the terns; the frame freezes split second drama comprising both aggression and courage, as these birds defend their young and territories. Another danger looms, with wings raised and stances alert, the terns face an imminent threat from a predator. This tension is palpable, echoing the constant vigilance required in the wild. In the aftermath, parents return to check and shield the chicks, depicting protection, relief and resilience in a post-conflict situation. The series ends with a shared glance and a gesture that encapsulate the unspoken bond between generations and the silent gratitude written in nature's language.

Runners-up

Category Runners-up

Portfolio Runner-up

Australian Seabirds by Claire Greenwell

Australia’s islands are sanctuaries for an extraordinary array of seabirds, many of which support rare, endemic, or globally significant populations. Seabirds play vital roles in marine ecosystems; as top predators, they help regulate fish and invertebrate populations; as nutrient vectors, they transfer nutrients from sea to land via guano; and as indicators of ocean health, their presence or decline signalling changes in the wider marine environment. This portfolio of images showcases a range of tropical species in a range of contexts - on land, at sea, courting potential mates, preening and collecting nesting material in preparation for breeding.

Highly Commended

Backyard Birds

Sponsored by Nikon Australia

Photographs of the birds in your backyard, wherever that may be!

Bird Behaviour

Sponsored by Nikon Australia

Photographs capturing the natural behaviours of Australian birds.

Birds in Flight

Sponsored by Nikon Australia

Photographs of birds doing what they do best – flying!

Human Impact

Sponsored by Nikon Australia

Photographs that illustrate the impacts of humans on birds, either positive or negative. Content warning: please be advised that photos in this category depict sensitive content, including images of dead and injured birds. Viewer discretion is advised.

Birds in the Landscape

Sponsored by Lake Cowal Foundation

Photographs of birds in the context of their natural environment.

Bird Portrait

Sponsored by Nikon Australia

Photographs where the bird is the star of the show!

Special Theme: Diurnal Raptors Birds of prey of the day

Sponsored by Nikon Australia

This category is a celebration of Australia's extraordinary diurnal birds of prey.

Youth

Sponsored by Nikon Australia

Photos taken by young photographers under the age of 18.

Portfolio

Sponsored by Nikon Australia

Pink Cockatoos by Keith Lightbody

Pink cockatoos are one of my favourite birds and they are regular visitors at the remote Eyre Bird Observatory and weather station. The beauty and playful nature of each bird is evident whether feeding, checking the wind, doing chin ups on the historic telegraph wires, coming in for a drink or even having the occasional squabble over perch position while a brown falcon is bathing below in their drinking water!

Dotterel Life at Herdsman Lake by Chinh Nguyen

Over the past three years, I’ve photographed Black-fronted Dotterels to highlight the beauty and resilience of a species often overlooked in our urban wetlands. Herdsman Lake offers a rare opportunity to observe these delicate shorebirds up close as they forage along the water’s edge and raise their young among the reeds. Through this series of photos, I set out to capture not only the understated elegance of shorebirds, but also the quiet determination woven into their daily lives. The intent of this portfolio is to inspire a deeper appreciation for these small feathered wonders that thrive quietly in our shared environments—reminding us that even the most unassuming creatures have stories worth noteing.

Commended

Backyard Birds

• Birds of a Feather by David Silva

• Cassowary Family by Greg Norman

• Curious by Paul Fenton

• Gull Court by Georgina Steytler

• Laundry Time by Colin Driscoll

• Pink cockatoo at a bird bath by Deepak Kumar

Bird Behaviour

• Airbourne by Maggie Roberts

• David and Goliath by Con Duyvestyn

• Moth toss by Brad Le Brocque

• Mutual Destruction by Martin Anderson

• Outback Wanderer by Jake Wilton

• Road-kill breakfast by Geoff Russell

• Sooting Tern courtship step by Georgina Steytler

Birds in Flight

• “Flight of the Weebill' by Patricia Sweet

• All You Can Eat by Beau Mitchell

• Carnaby's Black Cockatoo by Jason Moore

• Egret chases egret by Tony Wellington

• Good Willie Hunting by Rowan Davie

• Launching into the light by Nathan Watson

• Stealth by Donald Chin

• The desert flock by Christian Spencer

Human Impact

• Bird bubbler by Michael Chay

• Risky business by Sandy Horne

• Scarlet Honeyeater by Georgina Steytler

• Tied together by Teresa Madgwick

• Feasting on fish waste by Nathan Watson

Birds in the Landscape

• At Home in Tall Grass by Jane McMenamin

• Gannet in Trouble by Marcel Hoog Antink

• Just another day at the Office by Veronica McPhail

• Nankeen on Jetty Patrol by Nathan Watson

• Paperbark Mirrored by Gareth Evans

• Wipeout! by Darren Weinert

Special thanks

A huge thank you to those who made the 2025 BirdLife Australia Photography Awards competition possible, and the dedicated individuals at both BirdLife Australia and BirdLife Photography – Australia who are pivotal for the ongoing success of the competition. A special thank you to:

Judges:

• Angela Robertson-Buchanan

• Peter O’Brien

• Gary King

• Melissa Zappelli

Competition Coordinator:

• Graham Cam

and our event sponsors:

• Nikon Australia and Lake Cowal Foundation

Thank you for your support!