Home / Arts and Entertainment / Gannet's Dive Wins Bird Photo of Year 2026
Gannet's Dive Wins Bird Photo of Year 2026
22 Sep
Summary
- A northern gannet's incredibly fast dive earned top photography honors.
- Photographer captured the bird breaking the water's surface near the sun.
- The competition emphasizes authentic, real-world nature photography.
Henley Spiers has been named Bird Photographer of the Year 2026 for a remarkable image of a northern gannet. The photograph captures the seabird plunging into the ocean at speeds exceeding 50 miles per hour. Spiers achieved this shot in Shetland, Scotland, specifically timing it to capture the gannet diving through a sun ball visible from underwater.
The annual competition, now in its 11th year, celebrated authentic moments in nature, with organizers emphasizing the value of real photography over AI-generated content. A young photographer from the United States also received an award for his capture of a great horned owl silhouetted against a full moon.
Beyond celebrating avian beauty, the Bird Photographer of the Year competition actively supports conservation. This year, over £5,000 was donated to Birds on the Brink, a charity funding grassroots bird conservation projects globally. Organizers noted that compelling imagery plays a crucial role in raising public awareness and support for these vital efforts.
