NEW YORK – Today the ±¬ÁϹ«Éç announced the winners of the 2023 ±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards. Now in its fourteenth year, the contest features stunning work from professionals, amateurs, and young people that highlights the beauty of birds and the joy of capturing them through photographs and videos. Judges awarded eight prizes across five divisions, with winning entries and honorable mentions chosen from 2,200 entrants from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and 8 Canadian provinces and territories.
For the third year, ±¬ÁϹ«Éç awarded the Female Bird Prize and the Video Prize. The Female Bird Prize showcases the beauty of female birds, which are often overlooked and underappreciated in birding, bird photography, and science, and the Video Prize celebrates the dynamic movement and unique behaviors of birds interacting with their habitats. The long-standing Fisher Prize recognizes the most creative approach in photographing birds, combined with technical expertise and an original composition.
±¬ÁϹ«Éç’s climate science report Survival by Degrees reveals that two-thirds of North American birds are threatened by extinction from climate change, including species featured in this year’s ±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards like the Dunlin, Short-eared Owl, and Baltimore Oriole. Learn more about how climate change will impact birds in your communities by entering your zip code into ±¬ÁϹ«Éç’s Birds and Climate Visualizer.
Award winners and honorable mentions will be featured in the Summer 2023 issue of ±¬ÁϹ«Éç magazine.
Grand Prize Winner
Rock Pigeons. Photo: Liron Gertsman/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Grand Prize Winner
Professional Winner
Atlantic Puffin. Photo: Shane Kalyn/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Professional Winner
Amateur Winner
Chinstrap Penguin. Photo: Karen Blackwood/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Amateur Winner
Plants For Birds Winner
Verdin and cane cholla. Photo: Linda Scher/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Plants For Birds Winner
Youth Winner
Dunlin. Photo: Kieran Barlow/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Youth Winner
Video Winner
Short-eared Owl. Video: Steven Chu/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Video Winner
Fisher Prize Winner
Brown Pelican. Photo: Sunil Gopalan/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Fisher Prize Winner
Female Bird Prize Winner
Baltimore Oriole. Photo: Sandra M. Rothenberg/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Female Bird Prize Winner
Professional Honorable Mention
Northern Hawk Owl. Photo: Liron Gertsman/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Professional Honorable Mention
Amateur Honorable Mention
Reddish Egret. Photo: Nathan Arnold /±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Amateur Honorable Mention
Plants For Birds Honorable Mention
Tree Swallows and bald cypress. Photo: Vicki Santello/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Plants For Birds Honorable Mention
Youth Honorable Mention
Green-winged Teal. Photo: James Fatemi/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Youth Honorable Mention
Video Honorable Mention
Osprey. Video: Steven Chu/±¬ÁϹ«Éç Photography Awards/2023 Video Honorable Mention
2023 Contest Prizes:
Grand Prize: $5,000 USD
Professional Prize: $2,500 USD
Amateur Prize: $2,500 USD
Plants for Birds Prize: $2,500 USD
Video Prize: $2,500 USD
Female Bird Prize: $1,000 USD
Fisher Prize: $1,000 USD
Youth Prize: Six days at ±¬ÁϹ«Éç's Hog Island ±¬ÁϹ«Éç Camp for teens during the 2024 season
The 2023 panel of judges:
- Sabine Meyer, photography director, ±¬ÁϹ«Éç
- Preeti Desai, senior director of social media & storytelling, ±¬ÁϹ«Éç
- Melissa Hafting, conservation photographer and youth nature educator
- Morgan Heim, conservation photographer, filmmaker and adventurer
- Noppadol Paothong, nature/conservation photographer
- Marlene Pantin, partnerships manager, Plants for Birds, ±¬ÁϹ«Éç
- Mike Fernandez, video producer, ±¬ÁϹ«Éç
- Rina Miele, wildlife photographer and videographer
- Mick Thompson, wildlife photographer and videographer
- Karine Aigner, conservation photographer
- Founders of the Galbatross Project: 
- Brooke Bateman, director of climate science, ±¬ÁϹ«Éç 
- Stephanie Beilke, conservation manager, conservation science, ±¬ÁϹ«Éç 
- Martha Harbison, senior network content editor, ±¬ÁϹ«Éç 
- Purbita Saha, member, Bergen County ±¬ÁϹ«Éç Society, and former ±¬ÁϹ«Éç magazine editor  
- Joanna Wu, PhD student at the University of California, Los Angeles
All photos and videos are judged based on technical quality, originality, and artistic merit and must adhere to ±¬ÁϹ«Éç’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography and Videography. For more information, please visit the official contest rules. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
To learn more about ±¬ÁϹ«Éç’s Plants for Birds program and Native Plants Database, please visit /native-plants. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
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About ±¬ÁϹ«Éç
The ±¬ÁϹ«Éç protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. ±¬ÁϹ«Éç works throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. State programs, nature centers, chapters, and partners give ±¬ÁϹ«Éç an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1905, ±¬ÁϹ«Éç believes in a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Learn more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @audubonsociety.  
Media Contact:
Megan Moriarty, megan.moriarty@audubon.org