Female birds continue to delight and inspire us. From the subtle beauty of a Spruce Grouse hen to the bold russet patches on a Red-necked Phalarope, the female birds featured in this gallery captured the eyes and imaginations of photographers from across North America who entered the female bird category of the 2023 探花精选 Photography Awards. Launched in 2021 to call attention to some of the most overlooked birds in the world, the female bird category challenges photographers to focus their cameras and attention on the sex that is too often ignored. Although these shots didn't take any of the top prizes—you can see all of the winners here—we couldn't help but share these equally inspiring images. You can also find more amazing photography from this year's competition in our annual Top 100 review. If after perusing the below gallery you find yourself inspired to pick up a camera and photograph avians on your own, our photography section has everything you need to get...