Females are some of the less appreciated and more challenging birds-many birds avoid the gorgeous feathers and eye-catching behaviors that put others in the spotlight. But this neglect of birdwatchers, scientists, and photographers is not just a matter of philosophy or equality. Recent research It has been shown that the lack of attention to the specific needs of female birds can have a profound impact on species conservation-which makes Audubon worried.
Therefore, this year, we asked photographers to look for female birds and send their findings. We were not disappointed. From the subtle beauty of jaguars to the noisy red cross flocks around the streams, to the majestic peregrine falcons, the birds in this series show us that if you are dedicated to focusing on females, there is still much to explore.
If you are inspired to pick up the camera and pursue your own bird theme, our Photography class Have everything you need to get started, including Tips and operating methods And Audubon’s Code of Ethics Used for wildlife photography. Then go out and start recording your favorite winged theme.
1. Sean McElaney’s Red Crossbill (above)
Place: East Sooke Regional Park, Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
Behind the lens: When we stood at the overlook point and admired some passing humpback whales, we noticed a group of Red Cross flying to a nearby tree. They started circling overhead and aggressively dived and bombed us, which was obviously abnormal. When a person fell on my friend’s hat, we realized that they were trying to get us out of this puddle so that they could drink something. In this photo, the yellow woman in the foreground steals the spotlight.
2. Cedar Waxwing by Robert Groos
Place: Madeira County, California
Behind the lens: As the New Year is approaching, a large firethorn bush in my yard is filled with thousands of berries. It attracts many birds-14 species in total. One morning, when I was sitting outside watching the celebration, four cedar wax wings appeared. They are rare in the oak forest near my house. If I were not outside at the time, I would never know they were there.
3. Gambel’s Quail by Katherine Sayn-Wittgenstein
Place: Green Valley, Arizona
Behind the lens: There are a lot of Gambel’s Quails flying around, and I am particularly excited to photograph the males. They have beautiful patterns and whimsical feather caps. I was busy photographing a male who walked proudly with his head high, and I noticed this beautiful female perched on the skeleton of a cactus. She seems to be performing for a male, spreading her feathers on top of the cactus. Against a vibrant green background, the combination of textures, patterns and subtle tones truly shows her subtle beauty.
4. Andrew Lee’s American Kestrel
Place: San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Lakeview, California
Behind the lens: Every winter, some American Kestrels migrate to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area. They are usually young birds with fresh feathers. On the day I took this photo, I wanted to take more colorful young males, but they were nowhere to be found. This young woman is more cooperative, and the perfect feathers and colors make her very attractive. Using my SUV as a blind person, I chose a simple and photogenic bass and positioned myself for shooting. After the Kestrel landed on the perch, she looked around and then began to comb herself. I am looking forward to it, because I know from observing the Kestrel’s behavior that she will soon “sag”, “bow” and “stretch” her beautiful wings. I just hope that I can have a good angle, a good light and a good background to capture these special moments correctly.
5. Anhinga of Camelia Marculescu
Place: Charleston, South Carolina
Behind the lens: I took this photo in a small pond near my home during the pandemic lockdown. It shows the unique characteristics of female cougars: a brown neck instead of a male’s all-black neck.
6. “Wild Turkey” by Michele LoManto
Place: DeLand, Florida
Behind the lens: I found this bird foraging in the woods near the nearby lake. For me, it is obvious that she may have become accustomed to others because she did not show fear or try to stay away from me. Instead, she came to within five feet of where I was standing and observed her beautiful feathers up close.
7. “Common Eider” by Sarah Keates
Place: Westport, Massachusetts
Behind the lens: I went to Gooseberry Island, where wild animals are sometimes very popular. I traveled all over the island and there was almost nothing to take pictures, so I went back to the parking lot through the beach. When I was approaching my car, I found some female eider ducks wandering in the waves very close to the coast. Perched between some rocks on the beach, almost on the ground, I managed to take a picture of one of the ducks looking for shellfish in the waves.
8. “The Flash of the North” by Jeffrey Kaufman
Place: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Behind the lens: I observed and photographed the process of this pair of northern twins building their nests on the maple trees. They continue to give birth to chicks and raise their children until the males are killed by the eagles, and the females take on all parenting responsibilities. We don’t know if she can do it alone, but after several weeks and weeks of uninterrupted nurturing, she has let three chicks hatch out of the nest. This photo of her summarizes the love and commitment she has shown to her chicks.
9. Sandra Rothenberg’s Baltimore Orioles
Place: Warren County, Pennsylvania
Behind the lens: My sister lives in a property near rural Pennsylvania. She has many horses, and the Baltimore Orioles always have plenty of horse hair for nesting. In 2020, we are lucky enough to let a pair of oriole build their drooping oval nest in our front yard.
10. Bushtit by Katie Warner
Place: Malibu Lagoon, Los Angeles County, California
Behind the lens: While looking for a rare white wagtail recently reported, I found a large group of bush tits. After searching them, I found a static place. When she raised her head, I took this picture.
11. Peregrine Falcon by Don Vu
Place: The Devil’s Slide in Half Moon Bay, California
Behind the lens: Every year, the peregrine falcon returns to this boulder on the Pacific coast to inhabit. In late February, they began to mate. During this time, people often see males hunting and bringing their prey-mainly pigeons-back to feed the females. Once close to the nest, the female flies out, grabs half of the prey from the male, and then flies to a quiet place on the cliff to eat the captured food. This scene is repeated at least twice a day, once in the early morning and once before dusk. I took it in the early morning when the light was better.
12. Black Oystercatcher by Alyce Bender
Place: Carmel-on-Sea, California
Behind the lens: In the spring and summer of 2020, the pandemic restricts travel and many parks are closed or restricted in access. I was fortunate enough to still have access to the rocky coastline of Pacific Grove. I deliberately go out several times a week to enjoy this area and photograph black oysters. On this special day, I met a female when the fog cleared and it was about to rain. When she was looking for her breakfast, I just liked the way her orange beak and yellow eyes popped against the dark black and brown of the mussel bed and dark feathers.
13. Matthew Filosa’s red-winged black bird
Place: Concord, Massachusetts
Behind the lens: Photographing red-winged blackbirds is one of my favorite things to do in spring. I always seem to learn something new from their behavior. Having spent so much time with them over the years, I realized that they are like snowflakes: no two are exactly the same! Last spring, I discovered this particularly eye-catching woman with a bold orange face and strong red-orange winged epaulettes. During my many visits to the area, I learned where her territory is, and often let myself try to take a photo that reflects her beauty. She was almost always elusive, until one morning in May, she suddenly sat on the cattails and began to call and show. I have never seen this behavior of female red-winged blackbirds before, let alone such amazing behavior. Fortunately, I have my camera set up to capture this amazing and unique moment. I hope that my photos can not only capture the beauty of this woman, but also educate people. Women are also very capable of performing this kind of display behavior.
14. Pyrrhuloxia by David Slikkers
Place: Edinburgh, Texas
Behind the lens: In the animal kingdom, males of a given species usually have more colorful decorations. But when an outstanding lady lets me know about her existence, I am always excited, and when she does, I will pay attention. This female Pyrrhuloxia looks very shy and tries to sneak in unnoticed if possible. But she was very magnificent in her own right, and she immediately caught my attention and distracted me from the task of trying to photograph birds in flight that day. In our short time together, she posed a beautiful pose, and I am very happy to capture this moment.
15. Clark’s Grebe by Krisztina Scheeff
Place: Escondido, California
Behind the lens: Clark’s Grebe parents take turns carrying, feeding and protecting the chicks. In this shot, the female handles multiple tasks at the same time: hitchhiking and holding a fish in her bill. The moment the chicks hatch, they crawl onto their parents’ backs and stay there for as long as possible. I have spent more than five years researching these birds and carrying out conservation projects in my local lakes to protect their nesting environment.
