The winners of the 2019 Audubon Photography Awards produced beautiful bird imagery which stands out from the crowd of more than 2,000 North American photographers that entered the contest. In a stunning development, the Audubon Photography Awards have added two new prizes along with the Professional, Amateur, and Youth contests.
The grand prize winner is amateur photographer Kathrin Swoboda, whose photo of a red-winged blackbird singing on a cold Virginia morning earned her the $5,000 award. Swoboda’s awe-inspiring photograph shows her keen observational skills since she captured the “smoke rings” created as the birds sing out their songs in the cold morning air. An expert panel of 6 judges evaluated the work based on its originality, artistic merit, and technical quality, and deemed it the most worthy of the top prize.
A new category is Plants for Birds, that honors Audubon’s Plants for Birds program. The initiative highlights the importance of native plants to wildlife. Supported by Coleman and Susan Burke, this program gives resources for finding native plant species based on zip codes. Photographers were given the challenge to capture the special relationship between birds and local plant life. Photographer Michael Schulte won the category for his stunning picture of a hooded oriole gathering palm fibers for her nest. Taken in San Diego, the photograph also demonstrates how essential plant life is even in urban settings.
Honoring recently retired Audubon creative director Kevin Fisher, the Fisher Prize was awarded to one picture across all categories which pushes the creative boundaries of bird photography. The inaugural prize went to Ly Dang for her photo of a Black-browed Albatross. Dang honed in on the beauty of the bird’s eye, that led to an artistic image highlighting the delicate part of the Albatross’s anatomy.
Scroll down below to view more award-winning bird photographs from the 2019 Audubon Photography Awards.
Red-winged Blackbird by Kathrin Swoboda. Grand prize winner, 2019 Audubon Photography Awards. Location: Huntley Meadows Park, Alexandria, Virginia.
White-necked Jacobin by Mariam Kamal. Amateur winner. Location: Dave and Dave’s Nature Park, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica.
Great Blue Heron by Melissa Rowell. Amateur honorable mention. Location: Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida.
Horned Puffin by Sebastian Velasquez. Youth winner. Location: Alaska SeaLife Center (accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums),
Seward, Alaska.
Bald eagle by Kevin Ebi. Professional honorable mention. Location: San Juan Island National Historical Park, Friday Harbor, Washington
Greater Sage-Grouse by Elizabeth Boehm. Professional winner. Location: Pinedale, Wyoming.
Hooded Oriole on a California fan palm by Michael Schulte. Plants For Birds Winner. Location: San Diego, California.
Black-browed Albatross by Ly Dang. Fisher Prize winner. Location: Saunders Island, Falkland Islands.
Bobolink by Garrett Sheets. Youth honorable mention. Location: Dunn Ranch Prairie, Lincoln Township, Missouri.
Purple Gallinule on a fire flag by Joseph Przybyla. Plants for Birds honorable mention. Location: Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland, Florida.
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