Our “season opening” day has finally arrived: 10th March 2025. We’ve all been waiting for it!
The entry period for Birdo’s two-round competition runs until 17th May, 2025.

Now we have two months of curious anticipation, hope, and confidence that there will be more and more interesting, captivating, and spectacular photos entered into our competition. The participating photographers have two months to show their favourite pictures to the Birdo jury and audience.

One of the goals of our competition, launched four years ago, is to let as many people as possible marvel again and again at the diversity and beauty of the bird world. In 2024, entries came from 30 countries, and this year we hope that the number will continue to grow. The international outlook makes the competition more exciting and varied, and also enriches the applicants’ experience. Viewers can encounter a larger variety of bird species and natural environments, and learn about wildlife photography habits in other cultures. It is a benefit for everyone!

Our jury consists of excellent professionals, acknowledged in their fields, including renowned foreign wildlife photographers, as openness to new ideas and the combination of diverse perspectives are highly important to us. This way, the gallery of prize-winning photos will be rich and diverse.

So do not hesitate to apply! Apply even if you feel that your photo may not win a prize. Everyone wins here, each and every photo adds something to the fight to protect birds which is also one of our goals. That is why we launched a 10th category, the Conservation photo series. Here you can enter by presenting projects carried out to protect birds or their habitats. We do hope that there will be lots of applications in Conservation this year, because with this category we are hoping to draw attention to the vulnerability of birds, and our shared responsibility to protect nature.

In the Conservation category one winning photo series will be given a prize every year. In each photo category, Birdo names two highly rated images, and awards the top three. Finally, Birdo awards the grand prizes. The overall winner is awarded the Birdo Bird Photographer of the Year title and grand prize. Photographers under the age of 21 also compete for the Birdo Young Bird Photographer of the Year title and the accompanying grand prize. The Birdo Bird Photo of the Year is selected from the winning photos of the year, where we pick a photo that is particularly captivating for the general public and with its power to grab attention can contribute to the cause of bird protection and the promotion of birds.

We recommend that all applicants, including those who have applied before, patiently read the “Contest Rules”! It is worth the effort! We are developing the application year after year, trying to take into account all constructive professional suggestions, so there may be modifications. So, please do not send in your application without checking the conditions first!

We would like to highlight one new feature here. The Birdo Special Theme category changes every year, this year's theme is: We love owls!
 

As for the closing of the competition: the awards ceremony will be held on 15th November 2025 at the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, and will be broadcast live in Hungarian and English. 

Photo: Koncz-Bisztricz Tamás: Sunset at lake Balaton