SF Bayflower: The Top 100 and All Winners From the Audubon Photo Awards

Friday, September 25, 2026

The Top 100 and All Winners From the Audubon Photo Awards

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| Joy of Birds September 2026

A grid of bird images. Photos clockwise from top left: A Spectacled Tyrant makes an acrobatic leap; A Purple-backed Thornbill hovers near flowering native frailejones; A California Condor preens; Two Waved Albatrosses allopreen; A Black-faced Grassquit sits perfectly in the middle of a palmetto palm leaf; A Mangrove Yellow Warbler dives into a sea of bugs.

Photos clockwise from top left: Veronica Donoso; Juan Jacobo Castillo; Rebecca Whittaker; Cody Cianfrance; Lorraine Minns; Liron Gertsman. All Audubon Photography Awards

Every Photo from the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards

The results are in! From an image of a Black-browed Albatross’ stunning majesty to a clip of a Barred Owl mom preening her owlet, take some time to celebrate all of the breathtaking images and videos from the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards. Enjoy the winners, the runners-up, and the top 100 from this year’s contest.

We are grateful to HX Expeditions, the world's first expedition cruise company, for helping make this year’s awards possible.

A Western Tanager perches on a branch with a Saskatoon Service-Berry in their beak.

Western Tanager and Saskatoon Service-Berry. Photo: Uriah Gottfried/Audubon Photography Awards

11 Native Shrubs to Turn Your Space into a Bird Haven

Native plants beat even the best bird feeder, and native shrubs have the added bonus of offering critical shelter to migrating, breeding, and wintering birds. Birds and native plants are so intertwined that you can even attract specific feathered friends to your space by cultivating the right plants. Enjoy this gallery of 11 native shrubs and learn more about the birds that love them.

A Hummingbird Clearwing sips nectar from a flower while hovering near it.

Hummingbird Clearwing. Photo: N. Lewis/NPS

Who’s That… Moth?

It flies like a hummingbird, feeds like a hummingbird, but it isn’t a bird at all: It's a hummingbird moth! How come they’re so alike? Learn more about hummingbird moths, where to spot them, and why they're so important.

A Bay-breasted Warbler perches on a tree.

Bay-breasted Warbler. Photo: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren/Flickr CC BY

Your Fall Warbler ID Guide

It’s officially autumn, which means you’re in for a birding challenge: identifying fall warblers. These once brilliantly-plumed singers are going through a fall closet refresh of their own. Migrating warblers turn drab and quiet as they head south. So, how can you tell these tricky warblers apart? Read our guide to identifying warblers this autumn.

A Barred Owl looks to camera shrouded in fall foliage.

Barred Owl. Photo: Scott Suriano/Audubon Photography Awards

Give Migrating Birds a Helping Hand

Fall migration is the most dangerous season for warblers. But with you in our flock, we can protect the places birds need year-round. If you enjoyed this newsletter, help give our feathered friends a boost by donating today.