“Exploring New Horizons: The Impact of Audubon Photography Awards in Chile and Colombia”

Birds such as the Blackburnian Warbler and Red Knot exemplify how avian species unite individuals across the Western Hemisphere. Blackburnian Warblers travel from the Boreal Forest of Canada to the tropical Andes of Colombia, while Red Knots reproduce in the High Arctic and migrate southward to Chile for the winter season. These species rely on some of the most vibrant and diverse ecosystems globally—and safeguarding them necessitates collaboration across national borders. The growth of the Audubon Photography Awards illustrates this hemispheric reach by inviting submissions for the inaugural time from photographers and videographers in Colombia and Chile, in addition to participants from the United States and Canada.

This expansion introduces an exhilarating new opportunity for photographers and videographers in Colombia and Chile to display their skills on an international platform. With new awards established for residents of these nations, the contest in 2025 will promote a wider range of viewpoints, enriching the visual narrative of bird conservation. A renowned panel of judges, featuring influential personalities in both conservation and photography across South America, will help guarantee a diverse and inclusive portrayal of these unique regions and their avian inhabitants. In September, the winners will be highlighted in the Fall 2025 edition of Audubon magazine, which boasts hundreds of thousands of print subscribers and online followers.

The Audubon Photography Awards will persist in showcasing stunning images and videos while also emphasizing the vital role of migratory birds and the habitats that support them. Colombia is home to nearly 20 percent of the planet’s bird species, and Chile accommodates hundreds of thousands of migratory shorebirds, positioning these nations at the forefront of Audon’s conservation initiatives. By sharing new avian species and landscapes with Audubon Photography Awards followers worldwide, this year’s competition will bring the beauty and conservation issues of birds closer to environmental advocates and nature enthusiasts everywhere.

To help narrate this story, the contest has launched the Birds Without Borders Prize and the Conservation Prize, which seek to underscore the journeys of migratory species, the challenges they encounter, and the necessity for synchronized conservation efforts that protect them throughout the year. Chile will also feature a unique Coastal Birds Prize to highlight the significance of its 6,435 km (4,000 mile) coastline for migratory shorebirds from the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. Coastal wetlands represent one of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide, and birds act as essential indicators of how these ecosystems are crucial to coastal cities, communities, and biodiversity. The Birds in Landscapes and Plants for Birds Prizes in Colombia will assist in illustrating how birds inhabit and interact with their environment in that nation.

Sharing the avian species of Chile and Colombia equates to sharing culture, wisdom, and fresh outlooks. This encapsulates the essence of Audon’s mission throughout the hemisphere to highlight the beauty, the challenges, the communities, and individuals of every age and background who honor birds and their necessary habitats. With this contest expansion, a broader audience across the Americas will grasp the difficulties birds encounter and feel motivated to support Audon’s endeavor to “bend the bird curve”—reversing and ultimately halting the decline in bird populations.

Audon’s initiatives are founded on the principle that effective bird conservation necessitates teamwork across nations and regions. Through its endeavors across the Americas, Audon is addressing the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. In Colombia and Chile, Audon takes part in projects aimed at enhancing habitat protection, addressing climate change impacts, and promoting sustainable practices beneficial to both birds and communities.

Birds disregard borders. They unite people and cultures throughout the Americas, serving as powerful symbols for the most critical areas for biodiversity conservation. We anticipate that the remarkable photographs submitted will foster greater awareness of the necessity for international collaboration in safeguarding migratory species. We eagerly await images from Colombia and Chile—nations brimming with biodiversity and home to some of the planet’s most extraordinary birds—and we encourage more artists to participate in celebrating the joy of birds and migration through incredible photos and videos.

Visit the Chile and Colombia and U.S. and Canada contest pages for additional information.