Washingtonians Acknowledged in 2026 Audubon Photography Awards

SEATTLE (September 2, 2026) – Today, the National Audubon Society introduced the winners of the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards. Now in its seventeenth 12 months, the awards have fun gorgeous photographs and movies that seize the great thing about birds and the challenges they face whereas serving to to inform the story of hemispheric hen conservation. For the second 12 months, judges awarded prizes to residents of Chile and Colombia in addition to the United States and Canada, highlighting how birds join individuals throughout geographies and ecosystems.

Judges awarded 9 prizes to Chile and Colombia residents and eight prizes to U.S. and Canada residents. This 12 months, along with $5,000, Grand Prize winners every obtained a voyage to Antarctica with HX Expeditions, the world’s first expedition cruise firm and Audubon’s unique cruise associate, to mix birding, conservation, and exploration on a one-of-a-kind journey. Other prizes embrace the second annual Birds Without Borders Prize, depicting birds with migratory paths that cross worldwide boundaries, and Conservation Prize, illustrating conservation challenges that birds face or how addressing these challenges may help them thrive. Two separate panels judged entries anonymously and chosen the winners and honorable mentions for his or her respective areas.

This 12 months, two Washington State residents have been acknowledged within the competitors:

• Woodinville resident Ian Shultz received the Youth Prize for his {photograph} of a Rock Pigeon hovering over Seattle’s Golden Gardens Park. A highschool scholar, Shultz additionally serves as a Youth Board Member for Eastside Audubon.
• Lourdes Venard of Oak Harbor obtained an Honorable Mention within the Conservation class for her {photograph} of a Bald Eagle. Venard describes herself as a “bird photographer by obsession,” and her work has been featured in juried artwork exhibitions all through the Pacific Northwest and throughout the nation.

All winners and honorable mentions are printed on-line in Audubon journal, and winners will probably be featured within the Fall 2026 print challenge. The annual Top 100 photographs will probably be introduced on September 23, 2026, and extra alternatives will probably be featured in digital galleries on Audubon’s web site.

Many of the birds present in Chile, Colombia, Canada, and the United States are in danger from threats resembling habitat loss and local weather change. Audubon works to guard birds just like the Roseate Spoonbill, Lesser Horned Owl, and Tennessee Warbler by way of coordinated efforts throughout nations and areas to make sure their survival year-round. Visit the web site for details about initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean and Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.

The 2027 Audubon Photography Awards will open for entries on January 13, 2027. Visit Audubon’s web site for particulars on the Chile and Colombia and U.S. and Canada contests.

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About Audubon

The National Audubon Society is a number one nonprofit conservation group with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impression, devoted to defending birds and the locations they want, as we speak and tomorrow. Birds are highly effective indicators of our planet’s well being, performing as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and encourage motion. Audubon works throughout the Western Hemisphere, pushed by the understanding that what is sweet for birds is sweet for the planet. Through a collaborative, nonpartisan strategy throughout habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives significant and lasting conservation outcomes. With over 1,000 workers and greater than 2.6 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing power dedicated to making sure a greater planet for each birds and folks for generations to return. Learn extra at www.audubon.org and on Facebook and Instagram (@audubonsociety).

About Audubon Washington

As the state workplace of the National Audubon Society, Audubon Washington is devoted to the conservation of birds and their habitats by way of science, advocacy, schooling, and on-the-ground conservation applications. Representing 25 impartial chapters and a robust grassroots community comprised of over 40,000 members, Audubon Washington works to guard and restore Washington’s pure ecosystems, benefiting birds, wildlife, and communities throughout the state. Learn extra at www.audubon.org/washington and on Facebook (@audubonwa) and Instagram (@audubonwashington).

About HX Expeditions

HX Expeditions is the world’s first and longest-running expedition cruise firm, in addition to the most important supplier of cruises to Antarctica, guiding curious vacationers on aware adventures since 1896. Headquartered in London, HX employs just below 1,000 professionals worldwide and operates a fleet of 5 trendy ships, crusing to greater than 250 locations throughout 30+ nations. Renowned for its polar expeditions and immersive voyages, HX combines conservation, science and schooling to ship transformative journey experiences. A pioneer in accountable journey, HX was the primary expedition cruise firm to remove heavy gasoline oil, ban pointless single-use plastics throughout its operations, and introduce hybrid-powered expedition ships. HX actively helps scientific analysis, offering greater than 1,600 complimentary cruise nights to third-party scientists, and operates the HX Foundation, which funds environmental conservation and neighborhood growth. For the most recent information and updates, go to the HX newsroom or comply with HX on Instagram (@hxexpeditions).

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