Follow These Amazing Instagram Accounts for Beautiful Bird Photos

Need more feathers in your feed? These photographers have you covered.

Here at Audubon, we love ourselves a good bird photo. So, as we wait for the 2021 Audubon Photography Awards winners to be announced, we’ve been scouring Instagram for the very best #birdstagrams to tide us over. Read on to find our favorites, and hit that "Follow" button to add some fine feathered photography to your day. And don't forget to also follow Audubon's own Instagram account for even more birdy goodness. 

Jason Collins

@casonjollins

Georgia-based photographer Jason Collins posts gorgeous photos from his regular birding trips in and around Eastman, Georgia, as well as farther afield. Whether he’s in his own backyard or traveling internationally to Greece or Colombia, he’s on the lookout for birds to capture with his camera. Captions provide IDs and snippets of information about the bird in the shot. 

 

Melissa Groo

@melissagroo

Expert photographer and Audubon magazine contributing editor Melissa Groo shares perfectly composed shots of birds and other wildlife taken on her travels, from Canada's boreal forest to the lagoons of the Bahamas. With a focus on photography ethics, Groo shares the story behind each photograph in her info-rich captions. 

 

Traci Sepkovic

@tlsepkovic

Professional photographer Traci Sepkovic keeps her feed full of artfully composed and often whimsical photos of North American birds and other wildlife. Frequent subjects include owls and shorebirds, and each post includes an entertaining anecdote about how she managed to snag her shot. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Traci (@tlsepkovic)

 

Kiliii Yuyan

@kiliiiyuyan

Award-winning National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yuyan shares gorgeous glimpses of life above the Arctic Circle in this Instagram account. Yuyan spotlights the wildlife, landscapes, and Indigenous communities of the Arctic, and his captions contain fascinating information about how and where he got his shot. Follow his account to catch a glimpse of what he’s up to while on assignment. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Kiliii Yuyan (@kiliiiyuyan)

 

Sean Graesser

@gourmetbiologist 

Sean Graesser, a New Jersey-based wildlife photographer and conservation scientist, uses his feed to document his work with the conservation organization Wild Bird Research Group and his scientific forays in Costa Rica. His images include vivid close-ups of tropical hummingbirds and other colorful specimens, with the occasional frog or bat thrown into the mix.

 

Alice Sun

@alicesunphotography

Young nature photographer Alice Sun is a self-described “biologist turned science communicator” who tells stories about science and conservation through her work. Her beautiful bird photography often comes with fun facts about the species pictured. Sun also works to empower other female-identifying nature photographers as a Girls Who Click ambassador. 

 

Theodore Emery

@wind.and.wing

This account, by wildlife photographer Theodore Emery, is full of artistic shots of birds often combined with philosophical musings about nature. Emery uses his account to share the joy he takes in experiencing the wild places of North America. 

 

Gerrit Vyn

@gerritvyn

As a conservationist, author, and bird photographer from Portland, Oregon, Gerrit Vyn drops knowledge with each new, beautiful post. He is adept at capturing birds in motion, and often highlights conservation issues or shares some scientific insight into his subjects. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Gerrit Vyn (@gerritvyn)

 

Shelley Pearson

@shelley_pearson_

A perfect day for Shelley Pearson begins with a pre-dawn birding quest. Her photography explores the quirky personalities of the birds she encounters (and the occasional echidna or kangaroo) paired with the awe-inspiring Australian landscapes they call home.

 

Bibek Ghosh

@beegeephotos

California-based photographer Bibek Ghosh received an honorable mention in the 2020 Audubon Photography Awards, and it’s easy to see why. Whether he’s photographing Burrowing Owls near home or tigers on his travels, Ghosh excels at capturing animals in motion and letting their personality shine through. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Bibek Ghosh (@beegeephotos)

 

Melissa Hafting

@bcbirdergirl

Birder and photographer Melissa Hafting is based in wildlife-rich British Columbia. Another photographer who emphasizes photography ethics, Hafting shares crisp close-ups of local owls, songbirds, and waterbirds, while using Instagram stories to share conservation updates and other news. 

 

Faraaz Abdool

@faraazabdool

The account of birdwatching guide and conservation photographer Faraaz Abdool provides a peek at the wide variety of birds and other wildlife around Trinidad and Tobago. Captions often include information about bird-related events and webinars. 

 

Ryan Mandelbaum

@fmsbwbbb

Science writer Ryan Mandelbaum shares their passion for New York City birds on this Instagram account. The photos often provide an intimate look at species in and around the Brooklyn area, from migrating warblers and year-round residents to vagrants and exotics like the Monk Parakeet. 

 

Monique Dao

@moniquedao.photography

Wildlife photographer Monique Dao shares perfectly crafted shots of the natural world with an emphasis on birds. Her images typically spotlight her native California, but she also takes her camera on birding trips around the country. 

 

Nikunj Patel

@nikunjpatel_photography

Nature photographer Nikunj Patel shares photos of the birdlife of Maryland in action, from a Hooded Merganser snagging a fish to a Red-winged Blackbird doing splits. Together, his images paint a vivid picture of the everyday lives of birds (plus an occasional deer or baby fox).

 

Tracy Johnson

@hummingbirdsxoxo

If you’re a fan of hummingbirds, this is the account for you. Tracy Johnson’s page is all about these feisty little jewels of the bird world. Through exquisite portraits and slow-motion videos, viewers can appreciate hummingbirds in all their splendor slowed down to a human pace. 

 

Claudio Contreras Koob

@claudio_contreras_koob

Mexican nature photographer Claudio Contreras Koob turns an artistic eye to birds and other wildlife. His photos—whether in black and white or full color—often have an otherworldly feel. Captions accompanying the photos tell the story behind the shot, or provide a fun anecdote or conservation message. 

 

Mick Thompson

@mickthompson2

Mick Thompson splits his time between the Southwest and Pacific Northwest, turning his lens on birds wherever he’s currently based. His photos of songbirds posing on perches interspersed with short close-up videos of birdsong are a fun way to brush up on bird ID. 

 

Kiera Carvalho

@browngirl_birder

LA-based photographer Kiera Carvalho’s wonderful photos come with captions full of fun facts about her subjects. Her relatively new account contains artfully composed shots that put a fresh twist on familiar species like the American Coot. 

 

Aditya Sridhar

@aditya.sridhar

Bahrain-based photographer Aditya Sridhar regularly wakes up in the dark hours of the morning to head out to his favorite birding locations and capture the perfect image. Approaching each shot as a puzzle to be solved, Sridhar enjoys challenging himself to think outside the box when composing his shots. Captions include musings about photography and nature. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Adi (@aditya.sridhar)