Audubon Announces 2026 Audubon Photography Awards Winners

NEW YORK / SANTIAGO / BOGOTA (September 2, 2026) – Today the National Audubon Society announced the winners of the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards. Now in its seventeenth year, the awards celebrate stunning photos and videos that capture the beauty of birds and the challenges they face while helping to tell the story of hemispheric bird conservation. For the second year, judges awarded prizes to residents of Chile and Colombia as well as the United States and Canada, highlighting how birds connect people across geographies and ecosystems.

Judges awarded nine prizes to Chile and Colombia residents and eight prizes to U.S. and Canada residents. This year, in addition to $5,000, Grand Prize winners each received a voyage to Antarctica with HX Expeditions, the world’s first expedition cruise company and Audubon's exclusive cruise partner, to combine birding, conservation, and exploration on a one-of-a-kind trip. Other prizes include the second annual Birds Without Borders Prize, depicting birds with migratory paths that cross international boundaries, and Conservation Prize, illustrating conservation challenges that birds face or how addressing those challenges can help them thrive. Two separate panels judged entries anonymously and selected the winners and honorable mentions for their respective regions.

Prizes for U.S. and Canada Residents

• Grand Prize: Jacqueline Burke, Roseate Spoonbill
• Youth Prize: Ian Shultz, Rock Pigeon
• Video Prize: Piper VanOrd, Great Blue Heron
• Female Bird Prize: Gail Bisson, Common Merganser
• Plants for Birds Prize: Mike Henry, Gila Woodpecker and saguaro cactus
• Birds Without Borders Prize: Nick Parayko, Tennessee Warbler
• Birds in Landscapes Prize: Liron Gertsman, White-tailed Tropicbird
• Conservation Prize: Josh Galicki, Northern Gannets

Prizes for Chile and Colombia Residents

• Grand Prize: Francisco Castro Escobar, Lesser Horned Owl
• Youth Prize: Juan David Camacho Márquez, Canada Warbler
• Video Prize: Nicolás Muñoz García, Black-browed Albatross
• Birds Without Borders Prize: Rodrigo González Pairoa, Black-browed Albatross
• Conservation Prize: Santiago Pérez Rincón, Yellow-eared Parrot
• Plants for Birds Prize, Colombia: Santiago Giraldo, Yellow-eared Parrot and Quindio wax palm
• Birds in Landscapes Prize, Colombia: Faber Mosquera Álvarez, Oilbird
• Birds in Landscapes Prize, Chile: Timothy Dhalleine, Crested Caracara
• Coastal Birds Prize, Chile: Gonzalo Bertolotto Quintana, Gentoo Penguin

Many of the birds found in Chile, Colombia, Canada, and the United States are at risk from threats such as habitat loss and climate change. Audubon works to protect birds like the Roseate Spoonbill, Lesser Horned Owl, and Tennessee Warbler through coordinated efforts across countries and regions to ensure their survival year-round. Visit the website for information about initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean and Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.  

Winners and honorable mentions are published online in English and Spanish, and winners will be featured in the Fall 2026 print issue of Audubon magazine. The annual Top 100 photos will be announced on September 23, 2026, and additional selections will be featured in digital galleries on Audubon's website throughout the year.  

The 2027 Audubon Photography Awards will open for entries on January 13, 2027. Visit Audubon's website for details on the Chile and Colombia and U.S. and Canada contests.

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About Audubon 
The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, nonpartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With over 1,000 staff and more than 2.6 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook and Instagram @audubonsociety.

About HX Expeditions 
HX Expeditions is the world's first and longest-running expedition cruise company, as well as the largest provider of cruises to Antarctica, guiding curious travelers on mindful adventures since 1896. Headquartered in London, HX employs just under 1,000 professionals worldwide and operates a fleet of five modern ships, sailing to more than 250 destinations across 30+ countries. Renowned for its polar expeditions and immersive voyages, HX combines conservation, science and education to deliver transformative travel experiences. A pioneer in responsible travel, HX was the first expedition cruise company to eliminate heavy fuel oil, ban unnecessary single-use plastics across its operations, and introduce hybrid-powered expedition ships. HX actively supports scientific research, providing more than 1,600 complimentary cruise nights to third-party scientists, and operates the HX Foundation, which funds environmental conservation and community development. For the latest news and updates, visit the HX newsroom or follow HX on Instagram (@hxexpeditions).

Media Contacts:

U.S. & Canada – Megan Moriarty, megan.moriarty@audubon.org

Chile & Colombia – Poly Martínez, poly.martinez@audubon.org