From a Snowy Owl bathing in a melted snow puddle to the mesmerizing mating dance of an exotic Golden-Headed Manakin, these eight standout videos from the Audubon Photography Awards offer a rare glimpse into the fascinating lives of birds across the Americas.
The curated gallery features remarkable bird footage captured across the United States and Canada, as well as Chile and Colombia, highlighting the extraordinary diversity of bird species and habitats throughout North and South America.
Because birds do not recognize political borders, their migrations connect ecosystems, landscapes and people across continents. Reflecting that reality, the Audubon Photography Awards expanded in 2024 to include South American countries, opening the competition to a new generation of bird photographers and videographers.
Chile and Colombia are home to some of the world’s richest biodiverse landscapes and marine ecosystems. Many migratory birds traveling among these countries and North America are increasingly threatened by climate change, habitat destruction and biodiversity loss.
Among them are endangered species including Blackburnian Warblers, which migrate from Canada’s Boreal Forest to Colombia’s tropical Andes, and Red Knots, which breed in the High Arctic before traveling thousands of miles south to Chile for the winter.
“These species depend on some of the world’s most vibrant and biodiverse ecosystems—and protecting them requires cooperation across international borders,” Audubon explains.
FORBES | By Cecilia Rodriguez
Beautiful Bird Photos: 16 Winners Of Audubon Photography Awards
Open to both professional and amateur photographers and videographers, the Audubon Photography Awards celebrate not only the beauty of birds, but also the urgent story of hemispheric bird conservation. The competition highlights how birds connect people, cultures, and ecosystems across vast geographies while inspiring wonder through powerful photography and film.
“Birds are telling us—in their behavior, in their dwindling numbers, in their silence—that we must take action now, and that we must take action where birds need us most, from the Arctic to Chile and everywhere in between.”
The ‘Snowy Owl Takes a Bath’ by Danny Oh filmed in Duxbury Beach, Massachusetts, won top place in the video category of the Audubon Photography Awards 2025.
The bird was on the main dirt road bathing in a melted snow puddle and seemed relaxed as it bathed for a long while. The video was taken around noon in early December when the owls had not yet established their territories on the beach, and thus were still very active.
Allen’s Hummingbird Feeds Chick by Sukhjot Singh was filmed in Irvine, California, during winter – which might seem like an unusual time for nesting, but in Southern California, Allen’s Hummingbirds get an early start.
Sukhjot Singh explains: “Beginning in October, this female Allen’s carefully scouted for a nesting site, then tirelessly collected fur, small leaves, and twigs, skillfully bonding them together with spider webs to make a nest.
“While incubating the eggs, she braved downpours, cold and windy nights. Eventually, the tiniest of beaks popped out and started begging mom for food. She was punctual in feeding, and soon enough the chicks began flapping their wings.
“It was a bittersweet moment when they took their first flight. I knew how tough their journey was and how hard their mom had worked to protect and provide for them. Here she feeds a chick after its first flight.”
Burrowing Owl by Tianze Ling was filmed in Hollywood, Florida, after dark at the Brian Piccolo Sports Park & Velodrome. The male Burrowing Own feeds a gecko to the female as their chicks play around them.
“While the owls might not be too bothered by humans, cars, outdoor cats and unleashed dogs, they all are threats,” Ling says. “I hope my work can inform people that we are lucky to have these tiny, adaptable birds around us. We must be respectful around them.”
Burrowing Owls are very adaptable and at some sites in Florida they live directly alongside golf courses and housing.
“The scene in this video is both intimate and inspiring, showing how birds can thrive alongside human activity when given space and respect,” the judges said. “A wonderful reminder that coexistence between birds and people is not only possible but also mutually enriching.”
With Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Snatches Lunch by Sukhjot Singh, filmed at San Joaquin Marsh, Irvine, California, captures one of the cutest songbirds – Singh’s goal was to show why they’re called gnatcatchers.
“Documenting these tiny birds is challenging, as they are often on the move and very swift and agile in flight,” he explains.
The video was filmed at Sea and Sage Audubon in Southern California as a small swarm of gnats hovered near a tree. ‘This Blue-gray Gnatcatcher relished a late afternoon buffet,” Singh notes.
Common Loon with Chick Tucked Under Wing, was recorded by Danny Oh at Long Lake, Bridgton, Maine as the result of significant effort.
“I have been following this Common Loon family in Maine for many years,” Oh says. “This particular year, the pair had one baby. The scene is from the first week after the loonlet had hatched.
“The baby was riding on its mother’s back in the afternoon after being fed the whole day. Thus the baby was full and getting tired. It soon after yawned and fell asleep.’”
Golden-headed Manakin Mating Dance by Rubén Torres Restrepo, at Vereda San Mauricio, Yalí, Antioquia, Colombia, was found in the middle of a forest that Torres Restrepo often traverses during monitoring outings.
Golden-headed Manakins gather in exactly the same spot to carry out their courtship displays and mating practices.
“These small areas can be used for up to a decade and always have a constant, nearby source of food — mostly small fruits — which allows them to maintain their energy during their almost all-day displays,” says Torres Restrepo.
“Adult males perform to attract females, while juvenile males practice their ‘dance moves’. At this particular site, I have recorded up to eight males at the same time.”
Cedar Waxwings Take A Bath by Andy Raupp, Montello, Wisconsin, was taken while the two birds splashed around in a pool in Raupp’s family yard.
“My dad and I built this water feature to attract birds, and during the warmer parts of the year,” he says, “it always draws in lots of different species as they come for a drink or to splash around and cool off.
“One hot spring day, a small flock of Cedar Waxwings flew in. I was thrilled to capture this slow-motion video of two of them splashing around.”
White-vented Plumeleteer by Juan Antonio Alonso, at Pacho, Cundinamarca, Colombia, records a White-Vented Plumeleteer feeding from the flower of the nacedero tree in the videographer’s garden, whose blossoms feed at least seven different species of hummingbirds.
Says Alonso: “I especially like to collect flowering plants that attract hummingbirds and provide them with a permanent, natural feeding place, as different trees and shrubs produce flowers at different times of the year.
See all Audubon Photography Awards’ favorite videos here. And if you are a fan of birds, see more Honorable Mention winners here.
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This article was originally published on Forbes.com