In last year’s edition, the winning image of the Bird Photographer of the Year competition was taken by Majed AlZa’abi from Kuwait who, together with the first prize, won the title of ‘Bird Photographer of the Year 2020’. Majed’s image was also a winner in the Best Portrait category.
In 2021, more than 22,000 photographs have been received from around the world and Mexican photographer Alejandro Prieto has risen as this year’s Grand Champion, winning the prize of £ 5,000 for his dazzling photograph of a great roadrunner looking at the lined border wall. of barbed wire between the United States and Mexico. The image of Alejandro Prieto immediately caught the attention of the judges, as the story behind the image is very powerful, the experts wrote.
“The border wall cuts through deserts, mountains and even mangroves,” explains Prieto. “It is not just a desert, and in fact it is very biodiverse with more than 1,500 species of animals and plants threatened by the wall. I have seen many animals reach the wall before turning around and back. “The goal this photograph wishes to convey is to highlight the threat to biodiversity that these types of structures can impose on the habitats of local animals.
The contest, which shows the beauty and idiosyncrasy of our feathered friends, has been running since 2016. There are eight different categories: Best Portrait, Birds in the Environment, Attention to Detail, Bird Behavior, Birds in Flight, Black and white, Urban birds and creative images. There is also an award for the best portfolio and an award for conservation.
The award-winning images appear on the Bird Photographer of the Year website and in a hardcover book, published by Harper Collins, with a foreword by actor, musician and comedian Bill Bailey.
The 2022 contest will open on September 30, 2021.
Take a look at our photo gallery to see the impressive selection of snapshots from this year 2021. Enjoy the incredible photos and let us know which one has been your favorite! It is hard for us to choose.
