Parakeet Soars to Victory: Crowned SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year!

The outcomes are revealed for the SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year 2024 competition! Now in its seventh year, this contest has evolved into a fantastic exhibition of avian life from every corner of the earth. Beyond appreciating photography, this year’s competition has generated over £13,200 to support vital conservation initiatives led by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

The 2024 competition attracted over 2,300 submissions from photographers globally, each showcasing the astounding diversity and beauty of birds. The victorious image, taken by Hira Punjabi from India, depicts a striking moment where a protective parakeet grips a monitor lizard’s tail.

The winning photograph was captured at Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India. Throughout his 30 years of visiting the park, Punjabi has witnessed the interactions between birds and their predators, particularly their conduct when safeguarding nests from threats like snakes and lizards. This picture was the culmination of four days spent observing activity around a dry tree. As Hira reminisces, “One morning a pair of parakeets, accompanied by about 10 or 12 birds, began to attack the lizard. The entire episode unfolded over an hour or so. I managed to take numerous images, but this one remains my favourite.”

Thomas McDonnell from Northern Ireland secured second place with his photograph of a red grouse in mid-flight, taken in the North Antrim Hills near Ballycastle.

McDonnell spent several months in pursuit of the elusive grouse and ultimately spotted two males and a female. As the males communicated with each other and flew across the road near his parked car, McDonnell observed from inside before opting to exit for a better perspective. The birds, undisturbed by his presence, permitted him to capture an ideal image as one of the males flew directly at him to traverse the road.

The third position was claimed by Maggie Bullock from England, who created a breathtaking image titled “Great Grey Owl Landing in Snow.”

Maggie snapped this extraordinary photo in Finland, close to Kuusamo, as the owl descended to seize a dead mouse. She successfully captured several images as the bird approached and landed against the snowy scene.

The panel of judges also had their own preferences which were selected in the Judges’ Choice Awards category.

Header image: Robert Gloeckner