Henley Spiers, “Sunball Rocket,” Gold Award, Birds in the Environment and Bird Photographer of the Year 2026. © Henley Spiers / Bird Photographer of the Year.
The Bird Photographer of the Year 2026 competition has just unveiled its winners and one image topped them all—a northern gannet diving underwater like a torpedo, its streamlined body illuminated by the sunlight filtering through the water above. In addition to the grand title, British photographer Henley Spiers takes home the competition’s £3,000 prize.
Spiers’ work, titled Sunball Rocket, was selected from more than 24,000 images submitted by photographers around the world. Captured just after the bird breaks through the ocean’s surface, the dramatic underwater photograph exemplifies how fierce these birds truly are. Though they may appear graceful while nesting and flying overhead, they become formidable hunters when searching for food.
“When fish are spotted, the gannets fly into the wind and stretch out their wings as brakes, precisely adjusting their position in relation to their quarry,” Spiers explains. Once ready to dive, the bird tucks in its wings and transforms into what the photographer describes as a “pointed torpedo,” capable of entering the water at speeds of up to 86 km/h (about 53 mph).
The competition also named 16-year-old American photographer Parham Pourahmad the Young Bird Photographer of the Year for his photograph, Moonlit Night. The enchanting image silhouettes a great horned owl against a glowing full moon. Pourahmad had originally gone out at dusk hoping to photograph a pair of great horned owls nesting in a park near his home. When he noticed the full moon rising, however, his plans quickly changed. “One of the owls flew down to a pine tree,” he recalls, “and I quickly moved into position to frame it against the moon.”
Beyond the two overall winners, Bird Photographer of the Year celebrates the many ways photographers capture birds in the wild. Adult photographers competed across eight categories, spanning Bird Behaviour and Birds in Flight to Urban Birds, Conservation, and Creative Perspectives. The awards also include dedicated Portfolio, Conservation, and Video prizes, along with three youth categories. All of this year’s awarded photographs are collected in a new hardcover book published by Graffeg, featuring a foreword by scientist, filmmaker, and wildlife host Lizzie Daly.
For competition director Will Nicholls, this year’s photographs also carry particular significance at a time when AI-generated imagery is becoming increasingly commonplace. He describes the winners as a reminder of photography’s “value of authenticity,” emphasizing that every photograph entered depicts a real moment in nature achieved through patience and dedication.
The competition also continues to put conservation at the center of its mission. This year, it donated more than £5,000 to Birds on the Brink, a charity that supports grassroots bird conservation projects around the world.
The next cycle of the competition is now open for entries at birdpoty.com and invites photographers of all experience levels to submit their best bird photos.
Henry Spiers won Bird Photographer of the Year 2026 with his photo of a northern gannet.
Thomas Deliberto, “Radiant,” Gold Award, Best Portrait. © Thomas Deliberto / Bird Photographer of the Year.
Donald Chin, “I’m Keeping Everyone Dry,” Gold Award, Bird Behaviour. © Donald Chin / Bird Photographer of the Year.
The competition also named 16-year-old American photographer Parham Pourahmad the Young Bird Photographer of the Year for his photograph, Moonlit Night.
Parham Pourahmad, “Moonlit Night,” Gold Award (15–17 Years) and Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2026. © Parham Pourahmad / Bird Photographer of the Year.
Ivan Sjögren, “Eye-to-Eye with a Short-Eared Owl,” Gold Award, Birds in Flight. © Ivan Sjögren / Bird Photographer of the Year.
The competition continues to put conservation at the center of its mission, with over £5,000 to Birds on the Brink.
Bernhard Schubert, “Kleptoparasitism,” Bronze Award, Bird Behaviour. © Bernhard Schubert / Bird Photographer of the Year.
The next cycle of the competition is now open for entries and invites photographers of all experience levels to submit their best bird photos.
Åsmund Keilen, “Sundance,” Gold Award, Creative Perspectives. © Åsmund Keilen / Bird Photographer of the Year.
David Stowe, “Tiny Dancer,” Bronze Award, Best Portrait. © David Stowe / Bird Photographer of the Year.
