Here at 探花精选, we love ourselves a good bird photo. So, as we wait for the 2021 探花精选 Photography Awards winners to be announced, we鈥檝e been scouring Instagram for the very best #birdstagrams to tide us over. Read on to find our favorites, and hit that "Follow" button to add some fine feathered photography to your day. And don't forget to also follow for even more birdy goodness.
Jason Collins
Georgia-based photographer Jason Collins posts gorgeous photos from his regular birding trips in and around Eastman, Georgia, as well as farther afield. Whether he鈥檚 in his own backyard or traveling internationally to Greece or Colombia, he鈥檚 on the lookout for birds to capture with his camera. Captions provide IDs and snippets of information about the bird in the shot.
Melissa Groo
Expert photographer and 探花精选 magazine contributing editor Melissa Groo shares perfectly composed shots of birds and other wildlife taken on her travels, from Canada's boreal forest to the lagoons of the Bahamas. With a focus on photography ethics, Groo shares the story behind each photograph in her info-rich captions.
Traci Sepkovic
Professional photographer Traci Sepkovic keeps her feed full of artfully composed and often whimsical photos of North American birds and other wildlife. Frequent subjects include owls and shorebirds, and each post includes an entertaining anecdote about how she managed to snag her shot.
Kiliii Yuyan
Award-winning National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yuyan shares gorgeous glimpses of life above the Arctic Circle in this Instagram account. Yuyan spotlights the wildlife, landscapes, and Indigenous communities of the Arctic, and his captions contain fascinating information about how and where he got his shot. Follow his account to catch a glimpse of what he鈥檚 up to while on assignment.
Sean Graesser
Sean Graesser, a New Jersey-based wildlife photographer and conservation scientist, uses his feed to document his work with the conservation organization Wild Bird Research Group and his scientific forays in Costa Rica. His images include vivid close-ups of tropical hummingbirds and other colorful specimens, with the occasional frog or bat thrown into the mix.
Alice Sun
Young nature photographer Alice Sun is a self-described 鈥渂iologist turned science communicator鈥 who tells stories about science and conservation through her work. Her beautiful bird photography often comes with fun facts about the species pictured. Sun also works to empower other female-identifying nature photographers as a Girls Who Click ambassador.
Theodore Emery
This account, by wildlife photographer Theodore Emery, is full of artistic shots of birds often combined with philosophical musings about nature. Emery uses his account to share the joy he takes in experiencing the wild places of North America.
Gerrit Vyn
As a conservationist, author, and bird photographer from Portland, Oregon, Gerrit Vyn drops knowledge with each new, beautiful post. He is adept at capturing birds in motion, and often highlights conservation issues or shares some scientific insight into his subjects.
Shelley Pearson
A perfect day for Shelley Pearson begins with a pre-dawn birding quest. Her photography explores the quirky personalities of the birds she encounters (and the occasional echidna or kangaroo) paired with the awe-inspiring Australian landscapes they call home.
Bibek Ghosh
California-based photographer Bibek Ghosh received an honorable mention in the 2020 探花精选 Photography Awards, and it鈥檚 easy to see why. Whether he鈥檚 photographing Burrowing Owls near home or tigers on his travels, Ghosh excels at capturing animals in motion and letting their personality shine through.
Melissa Hafting
Birder and photographer Melissa Hafting is based in wildlife-rich British Columbia. Another photographer who emphasizes photography ethics, Hafting shares crisp close-ups of local owls, songbirds, and waterbirds, while using Instagram stories to share conservation updates and other news.
Faraaz Abdool
The account of birdwatching guide and conservation photographer Faraaz Abdool provides a peek at the wide variety of birds and other wildlife around Trinidad and Tobago. Captions often include information about bird-related events and webinars.
Ryan Mandelbaum
Science writer Ryan Mandelbaum shares their passion for New York City birds on this Instagram account. The photos often provide an intimate look at species in and around the Brooklyn area, from migrating warblers and year-round residents to vagrants and exotics like the Monk Parakeet.
Monique Dao
Wildlife photographer Monique Dao shares perfectly crafted shots of the natural world with an emphasis on birds. Her images typically spotlight her native California, but she also takes her camera on birding trips around the country.
Nikunj Patel
Nature photographer Nikunj Patel shares photos of the birdlife of Maryland in action, from a Hooded Merganser snagging a fish to a Red-winged Blackbird doing splits. Together, his images paint a vivid picture of the everyday lives of birds (plus an occasional deer or baby fox).
Tracy Johnson
If you鈥檙e a fan of hummingbirds, this is the account for you. Tracy Johnson鈥檚 page is all about these feisty little jewels of the bird world. Through exquisite portraits and slow-motion videos, viewers can appreciate hummingbirds in all their splendor slowed down to a human pace.
Claudio Contreras Koob
Mexican nature photographer Claudio Contreras Koob turns an artistic eye to birds and other wildlife. His photos鈥攚hether in black and white or full color鈥攐ften have an otherworldly feel. Captions accompanying the photos tell the story behind the shot, or provide a fun anecdote or conservation message.
Mick Thompson
Mick Thompson splits his time between the Southwest and Pacific Northwest, turning his lens on birds wherever he鈥檚 currently based. His photos of songbirds posing on perches interspersed with short close-up videos of birdsong are a fun way to brush up on bird ID.
Kiera Carvalho
LA-based photographer Kiera Carvalho鈥檚 wonderful photos come with captions full of fun facts about her subjects. Her relatively new account contains artfully composed shots that put a fresh twist on familiar species like the American Coot.
Aditya Sridhar
Bahrain-based photographer Aditya Sridhar regularly wakes up in the dark hours of the morning to head out to his favorite birding locations and capture the perfect image. Approaching each shot as a puzzle to be solved, Sridhar enjoys challenging himself to think outside the box when composing his shots. Captions include musings about photography and nature.