Our favorite bird pictures: DPReview Editors' Challenge results

DPReview Editors' Challenge results

A few weeks ago, we issued a challenge to the DPReview community to show us your best bird photos in honor of World Migratory Bird Day. Over 270 of you submitted images of birds in flight, at home, hunting for dinner and more.

We love seeing your work! Thanks to everyone who submitted. We couldn't call out every image we liked and tried to restrain ourselves to our favorite baker's dozen (in no particular order).

If you don't see your work here today, please don't call fowl on the play. We encourage you to submit for our next challenge.

Also, a quick reminder to keep comments constructive and civil. To be blunt, it's one thing for editors to receive harsh comments, but it's another threshold to be rude to people not on our staff who want to make some images and share their work. Rule #1: Be nice. That's it, there is no rule #2.

Male Snowy Egrets displaying at dawn in the marsh

By: kipsneddon

Caption: Taken just after dawn on 05/15/2024 in the Scarborough Marsh in Scarborough, Maine USA. Image is of two male Snowy Egrets displaying to decide who is dominant.

Nikon Z9 | Nikon Nikkor Z 800mm F6.3 VR S | 1/800 sec | F6.3 | ISO 1000

Edits: WB corrected | cropped slightly | sharpened | lens correction

Early summer

By: Xiaomao

Caption: The photo was taken for a Mrs. Gould's sunbird in Kunming, China on May 6.

Sony a1 | Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS | 1/2000 sec | F5 | ISO 4000

Edits: Color: 3852 | Toning: +35 | Exposure: +1.35 | Contrast: -51 | High light: _35 | Shadow: +66 | White level: +5 | Black level: +39 | Clarity: +7 Etc.

Lunch time

By: djrocks66

Caption: An Osprey catches a fish at a local pond by me. Riverhead, NY.

Nikon Z7 II | Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C | 1/3200 sec | F7.1 | ISO 1250

Edits: No details shared

Bittern

By: Tim Munsey

Caption: A bittern climbs high on the reeds before take off.

Sony a9 III | Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS | 1/5000 sec | F4 | ISO 800

Edits: Processed with DXO PureRaw 4, finished in Photoshop cc 2024 with the aid of DXO Nik Color Efex. No more details shared.

Tern emerging from a dive

By: slowsync

Caption: A fishing Tern emerging from a dive with fish.

OM System OM-1 Mark II | Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS PRO | 1/4000 sec | F5.6 | ISO 500

Edits: Developed in DXO PL7, crop, slight curves adjustment, slight vibrancy, NR default settings.

Winging together in the showers of love

By: Ritam Melgunov

Caption: The tufted duck couple winging together through the splashes of water. The White lake, Gatchina, surroundings of St-Petersburg, Russia.

Canon EOS R7 | Canon RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM | 1/2500 sec | F8 | ISO 1250

Edits: dodging-burning, sharpening, adding a vignette, cropping

Yellow Warbler sings

By: Geoffrey S Baker

Caption: Yellow Warbler sings at Susquehanna State Park in Maryland.

Nikon Z8 | Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR | 1/32000 sec | F7.1 | ISO 6400

Edits: Crop, denoise, sharpen, color, contrast, dodge and burn

Baltimore Oriole in flight

By: Geoffrey S Baker

Caption: Baltimore Oriole at Susquehanna State Park in Maryland.

Nikon Z8 | Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR | 1/26000 sec | F7.1 | ISO 6400

Edits: Crop, denoise, sharpen, color, contrast, dodge and burn

You can shout all you want

By: macropaul

Caption: Sibling calling for food late afternoon.

Sony a1 | Sigma 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS Sports | 1/4000 sec | F5.6 | ISO 1600

Edits: None shared

A painting of flight

By: Ritam Melgunov

Caption: A seagull captured at longer exposure. The White lake, Gatchina, Leningrad region, Russia.

Canon EOS R7 | Canon RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM | 1/15 sec | F18 | ISO 100

Edits: Sharpening and crop

Cricket anyone?

By: Sujiar

Caption: A Nuttalls Woodpecker bringing some juicy crickets to its offspring. Last year a Downy Woodpecker had the residence!

OM System OM-1 | Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 300mm F4 IS Pro | 1/800 sec | F5.6 | ISO 1250

Edits: Adjusted the heavy green cast from the spring foliage, dodging and burning, crop

FC Sunrise

By: hapster

Caption: Courting Canada Geese as the Sun rises on a foggy morning at French Creek State Park.

Sony a99 II | Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD| 1/320 sec | F6.3 | ISO 200

Edits: Shot in RAW. Editing was basic, exposure, contrast, cropping.

Untitled

By: surfnbird

Caption: Great Horned Owlets. 5pm, May 8, 2024, in a large pine tree, Encinitas, Ca.

Canon EOS R5 | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM | 1/640 sec | F5.6 | ISO 1250

Edits: Cropped | adjustments to Exposure, Contrast, Noise, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, Blacks, Texture, Clarity, Vibrance, Saturation

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who participated. Seriously, how amazing is it to see our fellow DPReview reader's work? To see all the entries for yourself and vote for your favorites, head over to the challenge now. The complete shooting specs and gear used for each photo in the challenge platform can also be found in the challenges gallery.

If you couldn't participate in this editors' challenge, keep an eye out for our next one. We'll be doing more during the year as we celebrate 25 years of DPReview. Speaking of which, do you have a suggestion for an Editors' challenge? In the comments, let us know what to do for our next one.