Jack Zhi won the award for Bird Photographer of the Year. He captured a
peregrine falcon slaying a huge brown pelican.
The 2023 Bird Photographer of the Year award goes to a remarkable photo
showing a female falcon attacking a brown pelican in midair. The enormous
brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is shown being attacked by the
peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), which swooped down on it and tamed the
bird of prey, hitting its head.
After four years of attempting, Southern Californian Jack Zhi finally got
the shot, which he named "Grab the Bull by the Thorns." Zhi stated in a
statement, "I adore the pelican's eyes in this picture—surprised and
afraid." "The activity happened quickly and ended in a flash. However, I
will always cherish that time."
The fastest animals in the animal kingdom are peregrine falcons, who can
dive up to 200 mph (320 km/h). Females get extremely protective of their
young during mating season, which begins in late February in California, and
will attack anything that comes near.
The fast-paced pursuit made using a long lens to take a close-up difficult.
Zhi said, "The falcon struck the pelican's head with incredible
accuracy.
More than 20,000 photos were entered into the competition by photographers
worldwide in an attempt to win the $6,300 (5,000 British pounds) top prize.
Eight categories are included in the yearly competition, which includes Best
Portrait, Birds in the Environment, and Birds in Flight.
A humorous photo of a purple heron (Ardea purpurea) trying to sate its
ravenous appetite with a big crucian carp (Carassius carassius) is among the
other category winners. The Best Comedy Bird Photo award went to this
picture.
Despite their reputation for feeding "on mice, snakes, toads, and other
creatures," the heron that was seen in the Italian Peninsula's lake basins
"voraciously swallowed the carp after several attempts to turn the fish on
its side," according to photographer Antonio Aguti.
Ensifera ensifera, the sword-billed hummingbird, was the subject of another
award-winning photograph in the category Birds In Flight, showcasing a
distinct bill display.
One of the biggest hummingbird species and the only one with a beak longer
than its body is the sword-billed hummingbird. This adaption may seem like a
drawback, but photographer Rafael Armada clarifies that it is necessary for
the species "to feed on flowers with long corollas, [making] it a vital
pollinator."
