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Birds are a secretive and mysterious species, which makes them one of the hardest to photograph. The British Trust for Ornithology, however, is taking time to appreciate photographers around the world who have mastered the art of capturing the quiet, gentle beauty of birds, and they've just announced their winners for 2017.

The Bird Photographer of the Year competition was initiated in 2015, and reportedly received a flood of entries right away. According to BTO Chief Executive Andy Clements, its aim is "to celebrate the artistry of bird photography and aid conservation by supporting the valuable work carried out by the BTO.” A cash prize of £5,000 (~$6,500 USD) is awarded to the top entry, with smaller amounts of cash, equipment, and merchandise being doled out to the others. This year's victor? Alejandro Prieto Rojas from Mexico, who submitted a stunning portrait of flamingo feeding their young.

A selection of the winning and short-listed entries are also chosen by the BTO to feature in a special large-format photobook. The 2017 edition is available now, and partial profits from its sales will directly support the BTO's bird conservation efforts. Scroll down to see some of the most incredible bird photos you might ever lay eyes on, and share this post with the bird-lover in your life.

More info: Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Book: BTO

#1

The Battle By Jose Garcia, US. Bird Behaviour Category

The Battle By Jose Garcia, US. Bird Behaviour Category

Jose Garcia / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #2

    Barn Owl Hovering By Roy Rimmer, UK. Bird Behaviour Category

    Barn Owl Hovering By Roy Rimmer, UK. Bird Behaviour Category

    Roy Rimmer / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #3

    Blue Tit On Berries By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Blue Tit On Berries By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Markus Varesvuo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #4

    2017 Bird Photographer Of The Year Cover

    2017 Bird Photographer Of The Year Cover

    2017 Bird Photographer Of The Year Cover Report

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    #5

    Full Speed By Faisal Alnomas, Kuwait. Bird Behaviour Category

    Full Speed By Faisal Alnomas, Kuwait. Bird Behaviour Category

    Faisal ALnomas / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #6

    Goosander And Brood By Jonathan Gaunt, UK. Bird Behaviour Category

    Goosander And Brood By Jonathan Gaunt, UK. Bird Behaviour Category

    Jonathan Gaunt / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #7

    Catch Of The Day By Vince Burton, UK. Winner Of The Nature Photographers Ltd People’s Choice Award Category

    Catch Of The Day By Vince Burton, UK. Winner Of The Nature Photographers Ltd People’s Choice Award Category

    Vince Burton / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #8

    Albatross Eye Close-up By Jessica Winter, Bronze In Attention To Detail Category

    Albatross Eye Close-up By Jessica Winter, Bronze In Attention To Detail Category

    Jessica Winter / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #9

    Grey Heron, Ahmad Al-essa, Kuwait. Silver Award Winner In The Attention To Detail Category

    Grey Heron, Ahmad Al-essa, Kuwait. Silver Award Winner In The Attention To Detail Category

    Ahmad Al-essa/2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #10

    Bearded Sunset By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner In Best Portfolio Category And Honourable Mention For Best Portrait Category

    Bearded Sunset By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner In Best Portfolio Category And Honourable Mention For Best Portrait Category

    Markus Varesvuo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #11

    The Speculum By Georgina Steytler. Australia. Gold Award Winner In The Creative Imagery Category

    The Speculum By Georgina Steytler. Australia. Gold Award Winner In The Creative Imagery Category

    Georgina Steytler / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #12

    Twilight By Markus Varesvuo, Kuusamo, Finland. Best Portfolio Winner In The Creative Imagery Category

    Twilight By Markus Varesvuo, Kuusamo, Finland. Best Portfolio Winner In The Creative Imagery Category

    Markus Varesvuo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #13

    Daily Basket By Ionel Onofras, Romania. Best Portrait Category

    Daily Basket By Ionel Onofras, Romania. Best Portrait Category

    Ionel Onofras / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #14

    Snuggling Cygnet By Ben Andrew. Honourable Mention In Attention To Detail Category

    Snuggling Cygnet By Ben Andrew. Honourable Mention In Attention To Detail Category

    Ben Andrew / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #15

    I Lost My Mom, Common Kingfisher By Fahad Al-enezi, Spain. Bird Behaviour Category

    I Lost My Mom, Common Kingfisher By Fahad Al-enezi, Spain. Bird Behaviour Category

    Fahad Al-enezi / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #16

    Snowy Owl By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Snowy Owl By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Markus Varesvuo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #17

    Woodpecker In Car Mirror By Kelvin Dao. Honourable Mention In Birds In The Garden Category

    Woodpecker In Car Mirror By Kelvin Dao. Honourable Mention In Birds In The Garden Category

    Kelvin Dao / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #18

    Pink Flamingo Feeding Their Young By Alejandro Prieto Rojas, Mexico. Gold Award And Bird Photographer Of The Year 2017 Winner In The Best Portrait Category

    Pink Flamingo Feeding Their Young By Alejandro Prieto Rojas, Mexico. Gold Award And Bird Photographer Of The Year 2017 Winner In The Best Portrait Category

    Alejandro Prieto Rojas / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #19

    Great Snipe Silhouette By Torsten Green-Petersen. Honourable Mention In Bird Behaviour Category

    Great Snipe Silhouette By Torsten Green-Petersen. Honourable Mention In Bird Behaviour Category

    Torsten Green-Petersen / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #20

    Wide-angle Kite, Red Kite By Jamie Hall, United Kingdom. Birds In Flight Category

    Wide-angle Kite, Red Kite By Jamie Hall, United Kingdom. Birds In Flight Category

    Jamie Hall / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #21

    A Perfect Landing, Australian Pelican By Bret Charman, Australia. Gold Award Winner In Birds In Flight Category

    A Perfect Landing, Australian Pelican By Bret Charman, Australia. Gold Award Winner In Birds In Flight Category

    Bret Charman / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #22

    Blackbird Taking Berries By Roy Rimmer. Honourable Mention In Birds In The Garden Category

    Blackbird Taking Berries By Roy Rimmer. Honourable Mention In Birds In The Garden Category

    Roy Rimmer / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #23

    Breakfast, Great Egret By Cheryl Schneider, Usa. Attention To Detail Category

    Breakfast, Great Egret By Cheryl Schneider, Usa. Attention To Detail Category

    Cheryl Schneider / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #24

    Seagulls And Fox By Gabor Kapus. Honourable Mention In Birds In Flight Category

    Seagulls And Fox By Gabor Kapus. Honourable Mention In Birds In Flight Category

    Gabor Kapus / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #25

    Swimming Eider By Pål Hermansen. Bronze In Best Portrait Category

    Swimming Eider By Pål Hermansen. Bronze In Best Portrait Category

    Pål Hermansen / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #26

    Guillemot Stretching Wing By Marc Weber. Silver In Best Portrait Category

    Guillemot Stretching Wing By Marc Weber. Silver In Best Portrait Category

    Marc Weber / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #27

    All In Yellow, Blue-headed Wagtail By Robert Szafranek, Poland. Birds In The Environment Category

    All In Yellow, Blue-headed Wagtail By Robert Szafranek, Poland. Birds In The Environment Category

    Robert Szafranek / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #28

    Camouflage By Daniel Stenberg, Sweden. Honourable Mention In Birds In The Environment Category

    Camouflage By Daniel Stenberg, Sweden. Honourable Mention In Birds In The Environment Category

    Daniel Stenberg / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #29

    Swallow Chicks In Nest By Joseph Anthony. Honourable Mention In Creative Imagery Category

    Swallow Chicks In Nest By Joseph Anthony. Honourable Mention In Creative Imagery Category

    Joseph Anthony / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #30

    Pelican Portrait By Anna-mart Kruger, Namibia. Best Portrait Category

    Pelican Portrait By Anna-mart Kruger, Namibia. Best Portrait Category

    Anna-mart Kruger / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #31

    Male King Eider By Staffan Widstrand. Honourable Mention In Best Portrait Category

    Male King Eider By Staffan Widstrand. Honourable Mention In Best Portrait Category

    Staffan Widstrand / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #32

    Bravery, Pied Crow And White-backed Vulture By Bence Máté, Hungary. Bird Behaviour Category

    Bravery, Pied Crow And White-backed Vulture By Bence Máté, Hungary. Bird Behaviour Category

    Bence Máté / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #33

    Starling In Bird Bath Underexposed By Mohammad Murad. Silver In Birds In The Garden Category

    Starling In Bird Bath Underexposed By Mohammad Murad. Silver In Birds In The Garden Category

    Mohammad Murad / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #34

    Crane Flock Misty Lake By Piotr Chara. Silver In Birds In The Environment Category

    Crane Flock Misty Lake By Piotr Chara. Silver In Birds In The Environment Category

    Piotr Chara / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #35

    Andean Condor In Flight Over Mountain Peaks By Ben Hall, Uk. Gold Award Winner In The Birds In The Environment Category

    Andean Condor In Flight Over Mountain Peaks By Ben Hall, Uk. Gold Award Winner In The Birds In The Environment Category

    Ben Hall / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #36

    Wing Formation By Tom Hines, Uk. Gold Award Winner In The Attention To Detail Category

    Wing Formation By Tom Hines, Uk. Gold Award Winner In The Attention To Detail Category

    Tom Hines / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #37

    Little Grebe Taking Off By Faisal Alnomas. Honourable Mention In Bird Behaviour Category

    Little Grebe Taking Off By Faisal Alnomas. Honourable Mention In Bird Behaviour Category

    Faisal Alnomas / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #38

    Diving Kingfisher By Malek Alhazzaa. Silver In Bird Behaviour Category

    Diving Kingfisher By Malek Alhazzaa. Silver In Bird Behaviour Category

    Malek Alhazzaa / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #39

    Condor Light Rays By John Sherman. Bhonourable Mention In The Environment Category

    Condor Light Rays By John Sherman. Bhonourable Mention In The Environment Category

    John Sherman / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #40

    David Versus Goliath By Bruno De Lorenzo, Hungary. Bird Behaviour Category

    David Versus Goliath By Bruno De Lorenzo, Hungary. Bird Behaviour Category

    Bruno de Lorenzo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #41

    Whooper Swans In Snow By Wim Van Den Heever. Bronze In Creative Imagery Category

    Whooper Swans In Snow By Wim Van Den Heever. Bronze In Creative Imagery Category

    Wim van den Heever / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #42

    Stork Feet By Magdaléna Straková. Honourable Mention In Attention To Detail Category

    Stork Feet By Magdaléna Straková. Honourable Mention In Attention To Detail Category

    Magdaléna Straková / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #43

    Orhard Nuthatch By Charles Tyler, United Kingdom. Birds In The Garden Category

    Orhard Nuthatch By Charles Tyler, United Kingdom. Birds In The Garden Category

    Charles Tyler / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #44

    Barn Owl Hunting By House By Jamie Hall, Suffolk, England. Gold Award Winner In The Birds In The Garden Category

    Barn Owl Hunting By House By Jamie Hall, Suffolk, England. Gold Award Winner In The Birds In The Garden Category

    Jamie Hall / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #45

    Blurred Bird Flock By Marc Weber. Bronze In Birds In The Environment Category

    Blurred Bird Flock By Marc Weber. Bronze In Birds In The Environment Category

    Marc Weber / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #46

    Swan's Head Underwater By Ian Wade. Bronze In Bird Behaviour Category

    Swan's Head Underwater By Ian Wade. Bronze In Bird Behaviour Category

    Ian Wade / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #47

    Ptarmigan By Markus Varesvuo. Bronze In Birds In Flight Category

    Ptarmigan By Markus Varesvuo. Bronze In Birds In Flight Category

    Markus Varesvuo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #48

    Coots Fighting By Andrew Parkinson, Derbyshire, Uk. Gold Award Winner In The Bird Behaviour Category

    Coots Fighting By Andrew Parkinson, Derbyshire, Uk. Gold Award Winner In The Bird Behaviour Category

    Andrew Parkinson / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #49

    Willow Grouse By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Willow Grouse By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Markus Varesvuo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #50

    Willow Grouse In The Garden By Markus Varesvuo. Honourable Mention In Birds In The Garden Category

    Willow Grouse In The Garden By Markus Varesvuo. Honourable Mention In Birds In The Garden Category

    Markus Varesvuo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #51

    Gannet Underwater By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Gannet Underwater By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Markus Varesvuo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #52

    Leaping Heron By Georgina Steytler. Honourable Mention In Birds In Flight Category

    Leaping Heron By Georgina Steytler. Honourable Mention In Birds In Flight Category

    Georgina Steytler / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

    #53

    Calling For The Sun By Ondrej Pelanek, Czech Republic. Gold Award Winner In Young Bird Photographer Of The Year Category

    Calling For The Sun By Ondrej Pelanek, Czech Republic. Gold Award Winner In Young Bird Photographer Of The Year Category

    Ondrej Pelanek / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #54

    Male And Female Mallard By Francesco De Giuseppe. Silver In Creative Imagery Category

    Male And Female Mallard By Francesco De Giuseppe. Silver In Creative Imagery Category

    Francesco De Giuseppe / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report

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    #55

    Willow Grouse In Storm By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Willow Grouse In Storm By Markus Varesvuo, Helsinki, Finland. Winner Of Best Portfolio 2017 Category

    Markus Varesvuo / 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Awards Report