Here are the 2023 Bird Photographer of the Year winners

"During the breeding season, a female Peregrine Falcon fiercely protects her young, attacking anything that comes near the nest," says Zhi. "For four years, I attempted to capture these rare moments of her attacking large Brown Pelicans with incredible speed and agility. The high-speed chase made it challenging to capture a close-up shot with a long lens. The falcon’s precision was amazing as it struck at the pelican’s head." Sony A9 II with Sony 600mm f/4 G lens. 600mm; 1/4,000s; f/6.3; ISO 1,000.

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Blue atmosphere and red moon," says Trexler. "Getting up before sunrise allows you to experience the magical awakening of animals. The blackbird is one of the first animals to awaken." Nikon D3S with Nikon 300mm f/2.8 lens. 300mm; 1/125s; f/2.8; ISO 640.

"The Purple Heron is a migratory bird that nests in the lake basins of the Italian Peninsula and feeds mainly on fish, although it also preys on mice, snakes, toads and other creatures," says Aguti. "In this shot, the heron caught a large Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius) and voraciously swallowed it after several attempts to turn the fish onto its side." Sony A1 with Sony 600mm f/4 GM lens. 600mm; 1/4,000s; f/4; ISO 320.

"Flooding meant that a field of sunflowers could not be harvested, and thousands of birds, including Greenfinches (Chloris chloris), Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) and Bramblings, flocked to it in winter," says Piesiak. "Despite their colourful plumage making them easy targets, when foraging their colours blend with the surroundings, making them hard for predators to spot," Piesiak adds. "Using a wide-angle lens masked with snow and dried sunflowers, I photographed a flock of Bramblings from their perspective, with one perched in front of my camera." Fujifilm X-T2 with Fujifilm 10–24mm f/4 lens. 10mm; 1/680s; f/11; ISO 1,600.

"Venturing into the tropical forest, I was excited to spot the rare Glistening-green Tanager. After hours of waiting, I saw the vivid-green bird on a perfect heart-shaped leaf. Its shimmering feathers reflected a dazzling array of colours," says Reusens. "I captured every detail, grateful for this magical moment amid the lush jungle backdrop." Canon EOS R7 with Tamron 100–400mm f/4.5–6.3 lens. 213mm; 1/500s; f/7.1; ISO 400.

"A young Musk Duck seems mesmerised by a drop of water falling from its mother’s mouth. Of course, it’s actually interested in the morsel of food that she has in her bill," says Moore. "Their coloration may be drab, but they more than make up for it with their beautiful expressions and fascinating displays." Sony A1 with Sony 600mm f/4 G lens. 600mm; 1/1,250s; f/4; ISO 1,600.

"In early autumn, a sardine shoal at Los Islotes attracted seabird predators. Amid the shoal, I waited patiently for the elusive shot of a Blue-footed Booby rising with a sardine in its beak," says Spiers. "Finally, a crash came down close to me, and I instinctively captured the moment." Nikon D850 with Nikon 28–70mm f/3.5–4.5 lens. 28mm; 1/250s; f/13; ISO 500.

"This aerial photograph captures a flock of Lesser Flamingos in flight over a vast and concentrated bloom of cyanobacteria (sometimes called blue-green algae), their staple food source," says Mckenzie. "The photo was taken from the open doors of a light aircraft." Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100–500mm f/4.5–7.1 lens. 500mm; 1/4,000s; f/7.1; ISO 400.

"This image features an abandoned farmhouse in my town, with a painting of a woman and a European Stonechat perched on the door," says Fernandez Quilez. "I orientated the door to let the sunrise in and used three flashes to illuminate the painting. It took multiple sessions to achieve the desired effect." Canon EOS 7D Mark II with Canon 70–200mm f/2.8 II lens. 140mm; 1/250s; f/20; ISO 125.