Summary
- Henley Spiers won the top title with “Sunball Rocket”.
- Sixteen-year-old Parham Pourahmad became Young Bird Photographer of the Year.
- Liron Gertsman won Best Portfolio and the Video Award.
- The article includes the winning photographs and all three official Video Award films.
Henley Spiers has been named Bird Photographer of the Year 2026 for “Sunball Rocket”, an image of a northern gannet bursting from the sea in front of the sun.
More than 24,000 images were entered this year. Spiers received the £3,000 top prize, while the same photograph also won Gold in Birds in the Environment.
The young winner and Best Portfolio
Sixteen-year-old Parham Pourahmad of the United States became Young Bird Photographer of the Year for “Moonlit Night”, framing a great horned owl against a full moon.
Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman won Best Portfolio with “Fabulous Frigatebirds”, a series devoted to the seabirds known for their striking silhouettes and the males’ bright red gular pouch.
Gold winners across the main categories
Thomas Deliberto won Best Portrait with “Radiant”, Donald Chin took Bird Behaviour Gold with “I’m Keeping Everyone Dry”, and Ivan Sjögren led Birds in Flight with “Eye-to-Eye with a Short-Eared Owl”.
Rahul Sachdev’s “An Ostrich Horizon” won Black and White. Gianluca Damiani received Urban Birds Gold for “Alter Ego”, while Åsmund Keilen won Creative Perspectives with “Sundance”.
Photography as a conservation tool
Kent Stuart won Conservation (Single Image) with “Not a Good Day Fishing”. The Conservation Award went to Conrad Dickinson for a series documenting hen harrier persecution in England and efforts to monitor and protect the species.
Liron Gertsman wins the Video Award
Gertsman also won the Video Award with “The Eagle Event”. The short film follows hundreds of Bald Eagles near Vancouver Island, where tidal currents force hake to the surface and trigger a remarkable feeding gathering.
The two Highly Commended films were Richard Birchett’s “A Day in the Shadows” and Mukul Soman’s “Skagit Valley – A Symphony of Avian Beauty”.
What we think
This year’s selection balances decisive moments, creative form and conservation photography. It is especially valuable that the competition treats video as a distinct storytelling medium rather than an add-on.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Bird Photographer of the Year 2026?
Henley Spiers won with “Sunball Rocket”.
How many images were entered?
More than 24,000 images were entered in the 2026 competition.
Who won Young Bird Photographer of the Year?
Sixteen-year-old Parham Pourahmad won with “Moonlit Night”.
Was there a video award?
Yes. Liron Gertsman won the Video Award with “The Eagle Event”.
