Washingtonians Recognized in 2026 Audubon Photography Awards

SEATTLE (September 2, 2026) – Right now, the Nationwide Audubon Society introduced the winners of the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards. Now in its seventeenth yr, the awards rejoice beautiful images and movies that seize the fantastic thing about birds and the challenges they face whereas serving to to inform the story of hemispheric fowl conservation. For the second yr, judges awarded prizes to residents of Chile and Colombia in addition to the USA and Canada, highlighting how birds join folks throughout geographies and ecosystems.

Judges awarded 9 prizes to Chile and Colombia residents and eight prizes to U.S. and Canada residents. This yr, along with $5,000, Grand Prize winners every acquired a voyage to Antarctica with HX Expeditions, the world’s first expedition cruise firm and Audubon’s unique cruise associate, to mix birding, conservation, and exploration on a one-of-a-kind journey. Different prizes embody the second annual Birds With out Borders Prize, depicting birds with migratory paths that cross worldwide boundaries, and Conservation Prize, illustrating conservation challenges that birds face or how addressing these challenges will help them thrive. Two separate panels judged entries anonymously and chosen the winners and honorable mentions for his or her respective areas.

This yr, two Washington State residents have been acknowledged within the competitors:

• Woodinville resident Ian Shultz received the Youth Prize for his {photograph} of a Rock Pigeon hovering over Seattle’s Golden Gardens Park. Shultz is a pupil at Innovation Lab Excessive Faculty and serves as a Youth Board Member for Eastside Audubon.
• Lourdes Venard of Oak Harbor acquired an Honorable Point out within the Conservation class for her {photograph} of a Bald Eagle. Venard describes herself as a “fowl photographer by obsession,” and her work has been featured in juried artwork exhibitions all through the Pacific Northwest and throughout the nation.

All winners and honorable mentions are revealed on-line in Audubon magazine, and winners might be featured within the Fall 2026 print concern. The annual High 100 images might be introduced on September 23, 2026, and extra choices might be featured in digital galleries on Audubon’s web site.

Most of the birds present in Chile, Colombia, Canada, and the USA are in danger from threats comparable to habitat loss and local weather change. Audubon works to guard birds just like the Roseate Spoonbill, Lesser Horned Owl, and Tennessee Warbler by means of coordinated efforts throughout nations and areas to make sure their survival year-round. Go to the web site for details about initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean and Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.

The 2027 Audubon Images Awards will open for entries on January 13, 2027. Go to Audubon’s web site for particulars on the Chile and Colombia and U.S. and Canada contests.

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About Audubon

The Nationwide Audubon Society is a number one nonprofit conservation group with 120 years of science-based, community-driven influence, devoted to defending birds and the locations they want, in the present day and tomorrow. Birds are highly effective indicators of our planet’s well being, appearing as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and encourage motion. Audubon works throughout the Western Hemisphere, pushed by the understanding that what is nice for birds is nice for the planet. Via a collaborative, nonpartisan method throughout habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives significant and lasting conservation outcomes. With over 1,000 employees and greater than 2.6 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing pressure dedicated to making sure a greater planet for each birds and other people for generations to come back. Study extra at www.audubon.org and on Fb and Instagram (@audubonsociety).

About Audubon Washington

Because the state workplace of the Nationwide Audubon Society, Audubon Washington is devoted to the conservation of birds and their habitats by means of science, advocacy, schooling, and on-the-ground conservation packages. Representing 25 impartial chapters and a powerful grassroots community comprised of over 40,000 members, Audubon Washington works to guard and restore Washington’s pure ecosystems, benefiting birds, wildlife, and communities throughout the state. Study extra at www.audubon.org/washington and on Fb (@audubonwa) and Instagram (@audubonwashington).

About HX Expeditions

HX Expeditions is the world’s first and longest-running expedition cruise firm, in addition to the biggest supplier of cruises to Antarctica, guiding curious vacationers on conscious adventures since 1896. Headquartered in London, HX employs slightly below 1,000 professionals worldwide and operates a fleet of 5 trendy ships, crusing to greater than 250 locations throughout 30+ nations. Famend for its polar expeditions and immersive voyages, HX combines conservation, science and schooling to ship transformative journey experiences. A pioneer in accountable journey, HX was the primary expedition cruise firm to eradicate heavy gas oil, ban pointless single-use plastics throughout its operations, and introduce hybrid-powered expedition ships. HX actively helps scientific analysis, offering greater than 1,600 complimentary cruise nights to third-party scientists, and operates the HX Foundation, which funds environmental conservation and group improvement. For the most recent information and updates, go to the HX newsroom or observe HX on Instagram (@hxexpeditions).

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