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Striking Bird Photos Highlight Importance of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
In the last nine years for the past nine year
s, over the last nine years the National Audubon Society has awarded photographers from throughout North America for their intimate photographs of birds. In this year’s celebration on the centennial anniversary of Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the group focused on photos of migratory birds in order to demonstrate what the legislation has done to helped save many species from extinction The organization has dubbed the year 2018 “The year of the Bird.”
The grand prize winner this year is Steve Mattheis’ image of an owl with a great gray. “After an extended drought of six weeks I finally saw an Great Gray flying over the woods on a gorgeous autumn evening. I raced to catch up and then spent an hour photographing the bird flying from perch perch, hunting and even catching a few rodents,” Mattheis said in his submission.
As I captured this picture I knew that I was witnessing something extraordinary
The owl was battling for balance on a slender branch, displaying an extraordinary, energetic, and asymmetrical position as it looked directly into my camera.”The bird is found mostly in Canada and areas of mountains on the U.S. West Coast, according to Audubon. The bird looks to be large however, this is due to the massive plumage.
The birds can relocate towards the northwestern U.S. and eastern Canada in the winter months in the winter when rodents are scarce to feast on. The bird is classified as endangered by the climate, which means it is found in isolated areas mostly because of disturbance to habitat and habitat loss.The following photos have either been awarded in their category or earned honorable mention. It is possible to learn more about each bird’s characteristics and the photographer who took these amazing photographs. birds facts
Professionally crowned Winner
“On a cold, snowy morning in December I saw a small group of Blacknecked Stilts congregating in a wetland that was seasonal. With their billies tucked under their wings. The normally active waders appeared to be in no need of a rush to hunt,” wrote Zahm. “Moving at a slow pace, I slowly closed the distance but did not disturb their peacefulness. The soft light reflected off the weedy wall along with the stilts’ stunning feathers. Their legs, which were red, merged with the reflecting. I was able to feel peaceful while taking the imageknowing that the birds have a beautiful home in our incredibly federal wildlife refuge.”
The black-necked stilt can be identified by birders due to its slim legs with needle-like bills and slim wings in the words of Audubon. Audubon says that the number of birds in the area is increasing due to the fact that they are expanding into artificial habitats such as dikes and sewage ponds. They are found in all of the South, Midwest and West. In natural areas they favor marshes and other bodies of water that are shallow. One subspecies found in Hawaii is currently classified as endangered.
Amateur winner
“On a bitterly cold February day, we took a break to take pictures of Whooper Swans However, the weather was poor: grey skies, whipping winds and the swans had a dirty. While returning towards the vehicle, I saw these adorable tits eating the tips of an icicle” said Rebman. “I took hands warmers and a tripod as well as my largest lens, and spent hours taking pictures of this incredible behaviour. This is a remarkable adaption! You need to be smart to withstand such extreme conditions.”
The tiny, round , long-tailed tit can be a shining light in the fight to save birds. Audubon claims that there are two times as many birds within the United States as there were in 1969. They are found all over Europe as well as Asia.Perhaps their most impressive ability is the nest-building. They create spider webs by combining feathers and brush , so the nests expand and expand as their eggs develop. Certain nests can contain more than 2000 feathers.
Youth winner
“Three times in one day, I sat in a blind by an emerald lick, which Cobalt-winged Parakeets as well as other birds from the Amazon frequent. As a horde of birds finally made their way from the tree canopy down to the floor of the forest, rich in minerals, on the third day I was prepared,” wrote Gertsman. “I employed the low shutter speed that helped highlight the blues on their wings. I’m sure I’ll never forget the bird’s sight and the deafening sound of chattering parrots.” (Gertsman was also awarded two honorable mentions for youth that you can view below.)
Parakeets that are blue and green (also called blue-winged parakeets) can be seen throughout all of the Amazonian zones in South America.Due to their vast range because of their extensive range, their range is vast, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed this bird in its “least worry” category. But, IUCN declares that the population of the bird is declining but not at an alarming rate that could cause it to be elevated to “vulnerable” category. But, it is possible that the population will fall by more than 25% over the next three generations because of forest destruction within the Amazon.
Honorable mention from the professional world
“A excursion for a visit to Merced NWR is always a wonderful experience, regardless of how many times I’ve been there. This particular day, I was with three other photographers. We heard the wonderful gurgled-dee-glimmer of a red-winged Blackbird near our vehicle which we used as a blind” written Quintana. “As the bird sang an aria out of the twigs of the near-by tree, we snapped away in hopes of capturing the vibrant red epaulets that adorned its wings as it puffs up to entertain any potential mates.”
The red-winged blackbird can be present in every state of the U.S. and in Canada and can make its home virtually anywherefields, marshes, forests, and brushy swamps. They are known to help each other and work together to fight larger birds such as ravens or crows when one is trying to destroy its nest.They move in groups up north in the springtime, with males arriving prior to females. They can be seen everywhere throughout the year, however.
Amateur honorable mention
“Undeterred by the heavy snowfall on one of the days in spring I walked slippery roadways to reach a pond , where Wood Ducks were recently seen. I put on my waders, took my camera and plunged into the freezing lake,” wrote Suriano. “Trying to remain in a low-profile manner I took a step too much and the icy water began pouring into my waders. The water was freezing and soggy I let it run for long enough to capture this picture of the Wood Duck drake, whose expression seems to reflect what we were feeling about the conditions.”
According to Audubon The wood duck was threatened with death in the 20th century because of hunting and habitat loss due to the harvesting of trees that were large. Then nesting boxes were granted legal protection and the population began to rebound.
Due to the success of conservation efforts The wood duck can be found across all over the U.S. in wooded swamps lakes, rivers, and ponds. When it comes to patterns of migration males and females are able to follow during the breeding season, which is in winter months when they establish bonds. Some females prefer to remain in warmer southern states, while others migrate north. So male wood ducks might migrate north during at one time and not go further the following season.
Youth honorable mention
“This could be the most accommodating Bald Eagle I’ve ever encountered. Many eagles come to the Fraser River Delta each autumn to eat the salmon runs. Once they are done, hundreds of them take a meal on the adjacent landfill, and are visible in the vicinity throughout the winter months,” said Gertsman. “I saw this eagle sitting on a stump of a tree near a popular trail for walking in a rainy and windy day. I snapped a lot of photos however I particularly loved this one because of its ability to illustrate the power and the awe of this iconic species.”
The bald eagle, which is the famous symbol of America was in danger of disappearance during the early 20th century due pesticide and hunting. They were granted federal protection in 1940 as part of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act which prohibited “the taking of possession of, barter, purchase, sale or offer to purchase, sell or barter, transportation of, export, or import of any golden or bald bird, dead or alive including any nest, part or egg, except as granted through a permit.” The bald eagle’s status was removed out of the Endangered Species Act in 2007.
While the numbers are growing, Audubon lists them as ” climate endangered,” meaning the species is “projected to have just the 26 per cent of it’s range in the summer by 2080.”
Youth Honorable Mention
“While looking at this Fawn-breasted Brilliant Hummingbird within the forest of clouds I noticed it was always going back to that same spot, making use of it as a base to catch flying insects. The sky was bright, and the bird’s silhouette was beautiful and I could see exactly what I wanted to capture,” wrote Gertsman. “I tried my best to align my shutter to capture the bird flying off and landing. Then, when I saw the camera, I was stunned by the clarity of the feathers as well as the fine details accentuated through lighting from the background.”
The Fawn-breasted Brilliant is a species of bird that is found within the Andes mountains of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. IUCN states that it isn’t known whether this bird’s population is declining , and its global population isn’t known at this time.s with other hummingbirds, it eats nectar primarily. Females are also able to gather insects for their young, and then they collect the insect from the webs as well as plants.
The Audubon Society received more than 8000 submissions and evaluated their technical merit creativity, originality and artistic merit. Each photographer was required to adhere to the Audubon’s Handbook for Ethical Bird Photography.
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