“Breaking Borders: Audubon Photography Awards Soars into Chile and Colombia!”

NEW YORK / SANTIAGO / BOGOTA (January 15, 2025) – Audubon has proclaimed that the 2025 Audubon Photography Awards is widening its reach to accept entries from Chile and Colombia, in addition to the United States and Canada. The competition’s broader scope and a range of new awards will enhance Audubon’s integrated hemispheric strategy for bird conservation and underscore the role birds play in uniting people across different locations and ecosystems. Now entering its sixteenth year, the contest will accept photography and video entries until March 5, 2025, at 12 p.m. (noon) U.S. Eastern Time (12 p.m. in Colombia and 2 p.m. in Chile).

With some of the planet’s most diverse landscapes and seascapes, Chile and Colombia are crucial migratory routes for many endangered birds traveling between Canada and the U.S. Audubon safeguards these avian species from the twin threats of climate change and biodiversity decline through coordinated initiatives across varied countries and regions, ensuring their survival throughout the year. This year’s Audubon Photography Awards will support this narrative with more awards centered on migratory species, habitats, and conservation—all while continuing to feature the breathtaking visuals that bird enthusiasts have come to anticipate.

Nine awards will be presented to individuals from Chile and Colombia, while eight will go to residents of the U.S. and Canada. New prizes include the Birds without Borders Prize, which showcases birds with migratory routes that span international boundaries, and the Conservation Prize, which highlights environmental challenges that birds confront—for instance, how climate change is impacting their resources and habitats—and how proactive measures to tackle those issues can enhance their circumstances and ensure their prosperity. Other accolades comprise the Grand Prize, Birds in Landscapes Prize, Youth Prize, Plants for Birds Prize, Female Bird Prize, and Video Prize.

The winners will be featured in the Fall 2025 edition of Audubon magazine. Selected photographs and videos will also be highlighted in digital galleries shared on Audubon’s website and social media platforms throughout the year. For inspiration, take a look at the winners of the 2024 Audubon Photography Awards.

The competition is available to all lawful residents of Colombia, Chile, the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are at least 13 years old as of the submission date. Audubon promotes ethical bird photography and videography. Submissions that do not comply with Audon’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography and Videography will be disqualified.

There is no fee for participants from Chile and Colombia, while individuals from the U.S. and Canada will incur a charge of $15 per image or video. No payment is necessary for entries in the Youth category for participants aged 13 to 17.

For official guidelines, details on awards and judges, and frequently asked questions, please visit the Chile and Colombia and U.S. and Canada contest pages.

###

About Audubon 
The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation entity dedicated to safeguarding birds and their essential habitats for both today and the future. Our mission extends across the Americas toward a reality where birds flourish, powered by a strong, diverse, and continuously expanding commitment to conservation. Audubon employs over 700 staff across the hemisphere, supported by more than 1.5 million active advocates. Since 1970, North America has seen a decline of three billion birds, with over 500 bird species facing extinction risks across Latin America and the Caribbean. Birds serve as early indicators of our environment’s health, signaling that both they and our planet are in peril. As a unified Audubon, we strive to change the trajectory of climate change and habitat degradation, fostering healthier bird populations and reversing the current trends in biodiversity loss. We accomplish this through on-the-ground conservation efforts, collaboration with local communities, advocacy for public and corporate policies, and community-building initiatives. Discover more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @audubonsociety.

Media Contact: 
Megan Moriarty, megan.moriarty@audubon.org