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Perspectives That Take Flight: Women Capturing the Lives of Birds in the Audubon Photography Awards
Patience, empathy, and observation—qualities that transform moments in birds’ lives into visual stories of nature and conservation.
Birds rarely stay still. A sudden wingbeat, a fleeting interaction, or a flash of color can disappear in seconds. Capturing those moments requires patience, careful observation, and a deep connection with the natural world.
In recognition of International Women’s Day, we celebrate the photographers who, through their lenses, have revealed the beauty, behavior, and complexity of birds across diverse ecosystems. Their images transform fleeting moments into visual stories that invite us to look more closely at the natural world.
Their photographs go beyond aesthetics. They help us understand bird behavior, the habitats birds depend on, and the challenges they face on a constantly changing planet. In doing so, photography becomes a powerful tool for education, science, and conservation.
Many of these photographers also play active roles as educators, communicators, and advocates for nature. Through their work, they inspire new generations of birders and photographers and use their images to raise awareness about protecting biodiversity.
In this gallery, we celebrate a selection of women winners from recent Audubon Photography Awards. Their perspectives remind us that watching birds is also a way of understanding the ecosystems we share and inspiring action to protect them.
2015 Grand Prize: Melissa Groo
Species: Great Egret
Where: Port Richey, Florida, United Estates.
Camera: Canon 1D Mark IV with a Canon EF 500mm f/4 IS USM lens and a Skimmer ground pod; 1/800 second at f/4.5; ISO 1600
Behind the Shot: “A friend took me to a little-known heron and egret rookery. It was dark and gloomy, and the sun would be setting soon. I cranked up my ISO to get more light on the birds flying in for the night. When I couldn’t get enough shutter speed for sharp photos of the birds in flight, I decided to do portraits of the birds that had landed. I noticed this Great Egret and his bright-green lores. He immediately began to fluff out his feathers, then went through the most beautiful series of displaying poses. Later I was struck by how much this portrait reminded me of an Audubon painting.”
Bird Lore: The breeding-season plumes that make Great Egrets attractive to each other were once a little too attractive to humans. In the late 1800s vast numbers of egrets were killed for their decorative feathers. A grassroots effort to stop the slaughter grew into a successful coalition that won legal protection for the birds and founded the Audubon movement; the Great Egret has been a symbol of conservation ever since.
2025 top 100: María Paula Lozano Moreno
Species: Golden-bellied-Starfrontlet.
Image Location: Tenjo, Cundinamarca, Colombia.
Camera: Sony Alpha 7 IV with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/500 second at f/6.3; ISO 6400
Behind the Shot: "We arrived in the Subachoque highlands hoping to photograph eagles, but the thick fog, intense cold, and biting wind were harsh. We waited for hours for conditions to improve but eventually decided to look elsewhere to connect with nature. On our way toward the city of Tenjo, a small cave beside the road caught our attention, and we stopped. A trickle of water spilled from the cave, and as if by magic we heard the unmistakable song of hummingbirds. We stood in silence waiting. One by one, they appeared and ducked under the water to bathe, oblivious to our presence. It was a moment of amazement and gratitude: The photograph we thought was lost that day appeared unexpectedly."
2025 Top 100: Camila Abumohor
Species: Plain-mantled Tit-spinetail.
Image Location: Paine, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile.
Camera: Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR; 1/1600 second at f/7.1; ISO 10000
Behind the Shot: "Hunters are common in the area where I took this photo, so every time I moved, the birds flew away. So, I decided to stop and stand still, and after about 20 minutes, the birds began to fly near me and behave normally. It was then that I saw a pair of Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail working hard to build their beautiful nest. I had never seen these elusive birds make their home before. Capturing the moment was very difficult: the birds are swift, and the branches blocked my view, but patience and camouflage made it possible."
2025 Birds in Landscapes, Chile: Caro Aravena Costa
Species: Chilean Flamingo.
Image Location: Puerto Natales, Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, Chile.
Camera: Sony Alpha 7 IV with a Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens; 1/1000 second at f/16; ISO 64
Behind the Shot: "Despite very few daytime hours, the sunlight in Patagonia is exquisite in winter. After arriving in Puerto Natales, my group walked along the waterfront as the sun began to set and spotted these backlit flamingos. I got my camera, and we walked carefully to the snow- and ice-covered shore. In subfreezing chill, I lay down on the cold ground to take photos. The warm sunlight, which enveloped everything, created a magical atmosphere."
Bird Lore: Many think of flamingos as tropical birds, but three South American species live in cold climates. All can be found on the Altiplano, the plateau between the highest ridges of the southern Andes, where they use their odd bills to filter tiny crustaceans, insects, and diatoms from shallow, salty lakes. The most widespread of the three, the Chilean Flamingo, also lives at sea level, all the way to the frigid, extreme south of the continent.
2023 Female Bird Prize: Sandra M. Rothenberg
Species: Baltimore Oriole.
Location: Warren, Pennsylvania, United Estates.
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with a Sony FE 200-600mm F/5.6–6.3 G OSS @459mm lens; 1/1000 second at f/6.3; ISO 1600
Story Behind the Shot: "Since I was a child, Baltimore Orioles have nested on our property. I have always loved watching the females: aerial acrobats that collect dried grasses and long gossamer strands of horsehair from my sister’s adjacent farm. The birds use the materials to build their pendulous, pear-shaped nests. What miraculous feats of avian engineering! Once they arrive in May after their long migration north, I use a tiny blind to observe the birds without disturbing them. This female barely landed to grasp a tangled clump of horsehair and natural hemp and sisal fibers caught on a branch. She was surrounded by a lacy, fluttering, diaphanous veil. Off she flew into the woods with her prize trapped in her slender bill."
Bird Lore: In a marvel of instinct, the female Baltimore Oriole weaves a hanging pouch to provide a secure cradle for her eggs. A key to success is choosing the right materials, and she scours the surroundings for long, strong, flexible plant fibers to create a durable structure. If artificial fibers meet her standards, they’re incorporated into the nest as well. The male will stop by to watch, but rarely helps. Construction usually takes at least a week, but some females have been known to complete the task in less than five days.
2021 Female Bird Prize: Elizabeth Yicheng Shen
Species: Northern Harrier.
Location: Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont, California, United States.
Camera: Sony a9 with Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM FE OSS lens and 2x Teleconverter; 1/2000 second at f/5.6; ISO 1600
Story Behind the Shot: "I was waiting for Fernando the Chilean Flamingo to wake up from his afternoon nap. People have reported seeing the lone flamingo in the park since 2010, so I went out to photograph him. A commotion from the nearby water, where a Great Blue Heron stalked prey and a few gulls rested, attracted my attention. A Northern Harrier had come out of nowhere to hunt. I quickly adjusted my camera settings so I could get her owl-like face. This kind of unexpected encounter is why I always carry my camera when I venture into nature."
Bird Lore: Northern Harriers hunt by gliding low over open marshes and fields, watching and listening for prey. When the slender raptors detect a small mammal or bird, they abruptly turn, hover briefly, and then drop. Even an experienced adult may succeed in making the catch only about one-third of the time. Young harriers—like this juvenile, which is identifiable as a female by her brown eyes—may have a much lower success rate at first, but their skills improve with practice.
2021 Grand Prize: Carolina Fraser
Species: Greater Roadrunner.
Location: Los Novios Ranch, Cotulla, Texas, Unites States.
Camera: Nikon D500 with Nikon 500mm f/4.0 lens; 1/3200 second at f/6.3; ISO 2000
Story Behind the Shot: "One of my favorite places to take photographs is among the oil pumps and open space at Los Novios Ranch in South Texas, where wildlife weaves through cacti and birds perch on fence posts. On a blazing hot summer day just before sunset, I found myself lying facedown at an uncomfortable angle, my elbows digging into a gravel path as I photographed this roadrunner. I manually adjusted the white balance until I captured the bird bathed in golden sunlight as it took a dust bath."
Bird Lore: An icon of the southwest, the Greater Roadrunner is uniquely adapted for living on the ground in dry country. It can run considerable distances at 20 miles per hour and derive the moisture it needs from lizards, rodents, and other prey. When water is available, it drinks readily, but it seldom if ever uses water for bathing. Instead, frequent dust baths are the rule for roadrunners, along with sunbathing on cool mornings.
Amateur Winner: Mariam Kamal
Species: White-necked Jacobin.
Location: Dave & Dave’s Nature Park, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica.
Camera: Nikon D3300 with Tamron SP AF 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD lens; 1/250 second at f/6.3; ISO 200
Story Behind the Shot: "On my fifth trip to Costa Rica, my favorite birding spots produced a few measly sightings. So I drove six hours to a reforestation site, which turned out to be well worth the trip. For an hour I photographed a valiant troop of White-necked Jacobins consuming nectar from heliconias that swayed and bobbed in a forceful wind. I could barely breathe as I snapped—I felt that I, too, was fighting to hang on!"
Bird Lore: Of the 350-plus species of hummingbirds, most have small geographic ranges. Bucking the trend is the White-necked Jacobin, common from southern Mexico to southern Brazil. It succeeds by being adaptable, occupying a wide variety of tropical forest and edge habitats.