Birdo Bird Photographer of the Year is currently the only photo competition in Hungary where birds take center stage. The organizers aim to expand the circle of people who love and protect birds, fostering a sense of commitment among participants. Only photos taken on ethical principles, without disturbing birds in their breeding and natural movements, are accepted for the competition. Bird photographers could compete in 10 different categories without an entry fee.

At the award ceremony held in the Giants' Hall of the Budapest Zoo, a total of 51 works, including category winners and special prize-winning photos, received recognition. To the delight of the organizers, this year saw an expansion in the number of participants submitting entries to the Documentary category, hopefully leading to more submissions next year showcasing bird and habitat conservation projects.

The main winners were also revealed during the event. The overall winner of the photo competition, Birdo Bird Photographer of the Year 2023, was Csaba Daróczi, a nature photographer, who achieved the highest score overall with his photos selected for the second round. The title of Birdo Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2023 went to Tamás Koncz-Bisztricz, a photographer under the age of 21, whose photos submitted to the Youth category garnered the highest scores. The Birdo Bird Photograph of the Year 2023 was chosen from the winning category photos. This award was won by Tibor Horváth for his work "Love on the Lake," which also secured first place in the Birdo Extra category.

This year, the evaluation of the competition was conducted by an expanded eight-member professional jury comprising renowned photographers and ornithologists, chaired by Tamás Imre, a NIKON ambassador and nature photographer. A new addition to the jury was the host of the award ceremony and one of the professional supporters of the competition, Dr. Endre Sós, the director of the Budapest Zoo. The jury members evaluated over 500 works that made it to the second round, resulting in the final outcome. In September, the organizers also held a public vote on the competition's Facebook page.

The award ceremony concluded with the opening of an exhibition featuring the winning photos. The exhibition, showcasing exciting and visually stunning bird photographs, will be open to visitors in the Star Garden until mid-January during the zoo's regular opening hours.

The award-winning photos can be viewed in the Gallery.

Photo: Tibor Horváth - Love on the Lake - Birdo Extra 1st Place, Birdo Bird Photograph of the Year 2023

November 4, 2023.