The Grand Prize this year went to Carolina Fraser for a shot taken at Los Novios Ranch in Texas. The image of a Greater Roadrunner, known to rarely use water for bathing, perfectly captures the unique bird taking a dust bath.
“On a blazing hot summer day just before sunset, I found myself lying facedown at an uncomfortable angle, my elbows digging into a gravel path as I photographed this roadrunner,” says Fraser. “I manually adjusted the white balance until I captured the bird bathed in golden sunlight as it took a dust bath.”
This year’s contest received nearly 9,000 submissions from more than 2,400 photographers. A new Video category was included for the first time, plus a special Female Bird Prize was awarded to the best shot of a female bird.
An exceptional highlight in the top picks from this year’s contest is Steve Jessmore’s shot of a Red-tailed Hawk staring down at a captured chipmunk. Taken while hiking in Michigan, Jessmore says the photograph depicts a rarely-seen moment between predator and prey.
“When an eastern chipmunk ran from beneath the debris a few minutes later, the hawk quickly caught it and carried it to a tree,” says Jessmore, describing the moment. “It was incredible to see that connection between predator and prey – one that I don’t usually get to share in a wildlife photo.”
Take a look through our gallery at more of the top picks from this spectacular photography competition and check out last year's highlights for more stunning avian snaps.
