Audubon Photography Awards announce 2026 winners

The 2026 Audubon Photography Awards have announced winners across two parallel contests: one for photographers in the United States and Canada, and another for those in Chile and Colombia. The awards recognize exceptional avian photography and videography, highlighting bird behaviors and the diversity of species in the Western Hemisphere.

In the North American contest, Jacqueline Burke received the grand prize for her photograph of a roseate spoonbill at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida. In the Chile and Colombia contest, Francisco Castro Escobar won the grand prize for capturing a rare lesser horned owl in northern Chile.

The winning entries cover various categories, including Birds Without Borders, Plants for Birds, Youth, and Conservation. The images document a wide range of avian life, from seabirds and raptors to hummingbirds, while also illustrating environmental challenges, such as the use of discarded fishing nets by nesting birds.