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Illustrator David Sibley and actor H. Jon Benjamin will face off in the bird illustration battle of the century during BirdNote's Year-end Celebration and Auction!
The submission period for BirdNote's 19th Birthday Photo Contest is officially closed. Public voting to choose the winners in the "General Bird Photography" category is open through Friday, March 22nd, and winners will be announced at BirdNote's Photography Virtual Event on Wednesday, March 27th. Good luck to all our finalists!
BirdNote is turning 19! In honor of this special birthday, we're celebrating with our annual photo contest that showcases photos of birds from our global community of listeners. And – this year, we're excited to announce a new category in honor of BirdNote's "From Love to Action" campaign to inspire one million people to take action to help birds.
Read on to learn how to submit your photo for consideration in the contest.
Entry Period
BirdNote’s 19th Birthday Photo Contest will run from Friday, February 9, 2024 at 9am PST/12pm EST through Friday, March 22, 2024 at 5pm PST/8pm EST. The deadline for submitting photos is Sunday, March 3, 2024 at 5pm PST/8pm EST.
Photo submissions will be accepted from Friday, February 9, 2024 at 9am PST/12pm EST thru Sunday, March 3, 2024 at 5pm PST/8pm EST. After all photos are submitted, BirdNote staff and guest judges will review all photo submissions and choose the top 15 photos for final voting via online voting form.
Public voting to choose the winners will open on Monday, March 11, 2024 at 9am PST/12pm EST and end on Friday, March 22, 2024 at 5pm PST/8pm EST.
Winners will be announced on March 27, 2024 at 12pm PST/3pm EST at BirdNote’s Photography Virtual Event, as well as on BirdNote’s social media and weekly email newsletter on Friday, March 29, 2024.
Entry categories
This year, there will be two categories – a General Bird Photography category, and, to celebrate the launch of BirdNote's "From Love to Action" campaign to inspire one million people to take action to help birds, we've added a special Conservation Actions category.
General Bird Photography
Photos in this category will depict birds in any natural setting. All levels of photography are welcome, including amateur and professional. Photographs must depict at least one bird and may not depict any human. There are no requirements for style, date taken, location or action. No panoramas or watermarks on the photograph will be accepted. Participants must practice responsible bird photography and ensure no birds are harmed, stressed or harassed by the photographer.
Conservation Actions
Photos in this category will depict ways in which participants are helping birds. These could include but are not limited to:
- Photos of bird-friendly spaces, such as bird feeders, bird baths, or nesting boxes, or individuals creating these spaces
- People engaging in native plant gardening
- People participating in or hosting bird walks or cleanups
- People using eBird or contributing to citizen science
- Participation in any action on BirdNote's "From Love to Action" survey
In this category, each photo must be accompanied by a story, which will be considered heavily in the judging process. We're looking for photos that tell a story of people actively making the world a better place for birds.
Photographs must be submitted by the sole author and owner of the photograph. For photos that include faces of humans, all depicted individuals must grant permission for the photo to be submitted into this contest.
Judging
Judging for the General Bird Photography category will be conducted by BirdNote staff and a panel of professional guest photographers. Photos will be judged on quality, originality/creativity, composition, the story behind the photo and how well it speaks to BirdNote's mission of telling stories about the joy and wonder of birds. Judging for the Conservation Actions category will be conducted by BirdNote Staff, and photos in the Conservation Actions category will be judged heavily on the story behind the photo.
BirdNote maintains full discretion over the rules and process of BirdNote's 19th Birthday Photo Contest, to ensure fairness and integrity in the judging process.
Who may enter
Photos submitted under the General Bird Photography category must be taken and submitted by individuals 18 years and older. Photos submitted under the Conservation Actions category can be taken and submitted by individuals 13 years of age or older, but participants ages 13-17 years old must have the permission of their parent/guardian to enter the Contest. Participants in any physical location are encouraged to participate, although international shipping costs will be covered at BirdNote's sole discretion.
How to enter
It is free to participate in BirdNote’s 19th Birthday Photo Contest.
Only one submission is allowed per category per person. If more than one photograph in a single category is submitted per person, BirdNote staff will choose the best photo from that person to include in final voting.
Acceptable file types
Participants may submit a jpg, jpeg, or png file. The maximum file size is 16mb.
How to vote
Voting will open on Monday, March 11, 2024 at 9am PST/12pm EST and end on Friday, March 22, 2024 at 5pm PST/8pm EST. Anyone will be able to vote for their favorite photo through the voting link.
How your photograph will be used
By submitting your photo, participants grant BirdNote a non-exclusive worldwide royalty-free license and agree to allow BirdNote to use their photo(s) in perpetuity in BirdNote correspondences and promotional materials, including but not limited to: BirdNote website, email communications, social media, annual report, printed or digital calendars, physical mailings and other materials. For photos that include faces of humans, all individuals photographed agree to allow BirdNote to use their photo and likeness of all individuals depicted in the photo in all BirdNote materials and communications on a royalty-free basis and in perpetuity.
Prizes
The winners will be announced live on March 27, 2024 at 12pm PST/3pm EST at BirdNote’s Photography Virtual Event and on BirdNote’s social media and weekly email newsletter on Friday, March 29, 2024. The winners will be contacted via email to coordinate delivery of their prize.
Meet our Guest Judges
Heather Roskelley
Heather Roskelley was the first place winner of BirdNote's 18th Birthday Photo Contest, with her "Whooping Cranes in Flight" photo, which is featured on the cover of BirdNote's 2024 Calendar. She's both a nature photographer and an avid birder. It's her hope that her photography raises awareness of all our fellow creatures and inspires appreciation for nature’s inherent beauty.
In 2017, Heather was selected as one of the winners of the Audubon Photography Awards for her Varied Thrush and Sorbus forrestii, which can be viewed on her website. She has also been recognized by Audubon with two top 100 bird photos, and her images have been used to illustrate Audubon articles and emails online, and several of her photos have also been featured in a major line of Pacific Northwest greeting cards.
Kris Tsujikawa
Kris Tsujikawa worked in the public sector for over 22 years, with organizations including King County Natural Resources & Parks, the University of Washington, the City of Seattle and the King County Sheriff’s Office. Currently, she serves on the Board of PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society) on the Development and Marketing Committee. At her current job with the Shoreline Police Department, she helps to capture photos at community outreach events, staff meetings and award ceremonies, and The City of Shoreline has utilized her photos in their quarterly printed newsletter.
A life-long animal lover and a talented professional photographer specializing in photographing corvids, Kris hopes that through her photography she can help people make a connection to wildlife. Such connections can lead to caring, appreciation and advocacy for those who have no voice. She loves BirdNote and is deeply honored to be a contributor to this international treasure. You can view more of Kris' photography here.
Dwain A. Vaughns, II
Through his photographs, Dwain A. Vaughns, II shares his personal stories, while highlighting the beautiful details in the natural world often unseen. He finds purpose in this work by creating awareness of our surroundings, harnessing the healing power of nature, and being a voice for those with accessibility needs. With his camera, Dwain says he heals himself. Through his photographs, with grace and gratitude, he passs that healing energy to the viewers. Listen to Dwain's BirdNote Daily episode, "Dwain Vaughns II on Seeing Plane Physics in Birds," where he talks more about listening to birds as a way to manage chronic pain. And, view his work on his website.
General Bird Photography Category
First Place
- Vortex Optics Viper 8x42 HD Binoculars
- (2) Life List Pocket Birding Notebooks
- Vortex Optics Insulated 12oz Mug
- BirdNote Paperback Book
- Free BirdNote+ membership (one year)
- Feature on BirdNote's website
Second Place
- Haikubox with a one-year membership
- (2) Life List Pocket Birding Notebooks
- BirdNote Paperback Book
- Free BirdNote+ membership (one year)
- Feature on BirdNote's website
Third Place
- The Cornell Lab's Bird Academy Wonderful World of Woodpeckers Course
- (2) Life List Pocket Birding Notebooks
- Vortex Optics Three Peaks Patch Cap
- BirdNote Paperback Book
- Free BirdNote+ membership (one year)
- Feature on BirdNote's website
Conservation Actions Category
First Place
- Vortex Optics Viper 8x42 HD Binoculars
- (2) Life List Pocket Birding Notebooks
- Vortex Optics Insulated 12oz Mug
- BirdNote Paperback Book
- Free BirdNote+ membership (one year)
- Feature on BirdNote's website
Second Place
- Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder
- (2) Life List Pocket Birding Notebooks
- BirdNote Paperback Book
- Free BirdNote+ membership (one year)
- Feature on BirdNote's website
Third Place
- The Cornell Lab's Bird Academy Gardening for Birds and Nature Course
- (2) Life List Pocket Birding Notebooks
- Vortex Optics Three Peaks Patch Cap
- BirdNote Paperback Book
- Free BirdNote+ membership (one year)
- Feature on BirdNote's website
As a bonus, all participants will receive a code to redeem Bird Academy's "Be a Better Birder 1: Size and Shape" course, free of cost, courtesy of our friends at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants will be presented with the code after submitting their photos.
Thank you to our generous sponsors!
Whooping Cranes in Flight © Heather Roskelley (2023 First Place Winner)