Birds evolved over millions of years to thrive in specific habitats, yet they’re also remarkably adaptable. Many live in our cities and alongside our infrastructure and readily spread to unfamiliar terrain. A new prize in this year’s Audubon Photography Awards celebrates the beauty of birds in the broader context of both natural and developed landscapes. Its winner, an image of the globe-trotting California Quail in its preferred scrubby turf, is a stunner—as are all the photos and videos that follow. With more than 8,500 submissions to the contest, each year it seems to get harder for our judges, who look at anonymous entries, to pick their favorites. You can sit back and enjoy the results.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Kevin Lohman
SPECIES
Forster’s Tern
LOCATION
Mountain View, California
BEHIND THE SHOT
I watched Forster’s Terns flying over a lake and diving into the water, often coming up with small fish. Holding a long lens, I tried to keep the birds in the frame as they quickly flew out of the water, though it was difficult to predict where they’d emerge. I used a fast shutter speed, but the bright sky and the terns’ white feathers required that I watch my exposure. This tern popped up near me and did a quick shake, sending droplets in every direction. When it twisted its head to remove the water, it looked like it was flying upside down.
BIRD LORE
Four species of medium-sized terns—Forster’s, Common, Arctic, and Roseate—look confusingly similar. What’s more, they forage in similar ways, by plunging from the air to capture small fish just below the water’s surface. But they differ in breeding habits. While the other three
