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Black and white – gold: An Ostrich Horizon by Rahul Sachdev from India
An ostrich makes its way towards the dry lake bed of Amboseli in Kenya. In black and white, the stark landscape emphasises the bird’s solitary journey across the dust and heat.
Photograph: Rahul Sachdev
Birds in flight – gold: Eye-to-Eye with a Short-Eared Owl by Ivan Sjögren from Sweden
A short-eared owl courses over the salt marshes of British Columbia’s Fraser River delta.
Best portrait – bronze: Tiny Dancer by David Stowe from Australia
A male western parotia dances in the rainforest of West Papua, Indonesia, in a dazzling attempt to attract a female.
Photograph: David Stowe
Best portrait – silver: Sunset Puffin by Volker Widmann from Germany
Atlantic puffin on Skomer Island, UK.
Best portrait – gold: Radiant by Thomas Deliberto from the US
A male greater sage-grouse during its courtship display in Utah, US. As the sun was rising over the shadowed sagebrush hill behind him, it illuminated the bird’s tail feathers such that they appeared to radiate light.
Photograph: Thomas Deliberto
Birds in the environment – bronze: Back to Fishing by Romain Barats from France
Photograph: Romain Barats
Birds in the environment – silver: Majesty by Åsmund Keilen from Norway
A majestic golden eagle drifts in dark silhouette across the face of the moon, its outstretched wings cutting a powerful shape through silver light.
Photograph: Åsmund Keilen
Winners of bird photographer of the year 2026
Overall winner of bird photographer of the year 2026 and gold in the birds in the environment category: Sunball Rocket by Henley Spiers from UK
A northern gannet seems to burst through the sun as it pierces down through the water in Shetland, Scotland.
Photograph: Henley Spiers