A photograph of a northern gannet plunging into the sea off the Shetland Islands in the UK has been named the overall winner of Bird Photographer of the Year 2026. The competition drew about 24,000 entries, and the judges chose an image that captures one of the most dramatic hunting methods in the bird world.
The bird was hunting fish when the photographer caught it mid-dive. Gannets can hit speeds of up to 86 kilometres per hour as they crash into the water, and the picture shows the moment of entry with the bird's body cutting through the surface. The photographer, Spiers, went into the sea himself, entering water at about 10°C to get the shot. The sunlight reaching below the surface became a key element of the image, adding light and depth to the frame.
Other prizes in the competition highlighted a wide range of species and behaviours. A western parotia, a bird known for its elaborate courtship dance, was photographed in West Papua, Indonesia, and took bronze in the portrait category. In Australia, a tawny frogmouth fledgling near Perth won gold in the behaviour category. A flock of guillemots flying over Hornøya in Norway earned silver for birds in flight.
The competition also gave recognition to images with a conservation and environmental message. A bronze award in the conservation category went to a photograph of an Egyptian vulture, which had been found stuffed and discarded in Malta. In the environment category, another bronze went to gentoo penguins feeding in Charcot Bay, Antarctica.
We rewrote this story on 4 November 2026 after an editorial review.
Credit. Based on reporting by Matthew Sparkes for New Scientist. Is this your work? Write to us.
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