The Birds in their Habitat (excluding waterbirds) competition was hel in June-August 2021. The challenge was to photograph the bird in its habitat. The bird needs to be clearly identifiable, as does the habitat in which it lives. For example, what is the habitat, why is it important, and is it a typical or unusual location for the species. No birds on sticks with clear backgrounds required here. Examples are fruit-doves in rainforest trees, finches feeding on grass seeds, chats in heath, kingfishers by streams, honeyeaters on flowering shrubs or trees, emus in woodland, Glossy Black Cockatoos in casuarina trees, etc. Waterbirds which are excluded are those listed in the Australian Bird Guide in the categories of Marine and Coastal Birds, and Freshwater Birds.
The results of member voting for the top five images in each category are listed here. This competition received good support from our members, with 253 images entered across the 3 competition levels by 79 photographers. The Winner is the image which received the most votes; and we also show the next four highest placed images, rating them as Highly Commended if they received at least 90% of the votes for the winning image, and Commended for scores less than that.
Advanced Level – Birds in Their Habitat
This category attracted 86 entries, from 25 photographers. 37 members voted, with the following result:
- Winner - Superb Lyrebird, by Ian Wilson (Image ID 47558)
- Commended - Palm Cockatoo, by Barry Deacon (Image ID 47230)
- Commended - Brown Honeyeater, by Mary Wheeler (Image ID 46829)
- Commended - Major Mitchell's Cockatoo, by Tim Van Leeuwen (Image ID 47453)
- Commended - Southern Emu-wren, by Glenn Pure (Image ID 47168)
Intermediate Level – Birds In Their Habitat
This category attracted 108 entries, from 35 photographers. 40 members voted, with the following result:
- Winner - Western Spinebill, by Jane Putland (Image ID 46965)
- Commended - Little Kingfisher, by John Eley (Image ID 46869)
- Commended - Western Whipbird, by Jane Putland (Image ID 47319)
- Commended - Little Grassbird, by Michiko Iida (Image ID 47244)
- Commended - Golden-headed Cisticola, by Rodney Appleby (Image ID 47492)
Entry Level – Birds in Their Habitat
This category attracted 49 entries, from 16 photographers. 33 members voted, with the following result:
- Winner - Scarlet Honeyeater, by Chunfang Liu (Image ID 46822)
- Commended - Australasian Pipit, by Linda Waters (Image ID 47031)
- Commended - Australian Brush-turkey, by Robyn Elliott (Image ID 47103)
- Commended - Plum-headed Finch, by Sylvia Wallis (Image ID 47287)
- Commended - Brown Thornbill, by Sylvia Wallis (Image ID 47288)