WINNER: Rock Hobby - Joan Goy

This adult male Eurasian Hobby was ringed as a chick in a nest on a rock — something that, at the European level, has only been documented in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. The photograph was taken during the breeding season, near a woodland area where hobbies have historically bred, using abandoned carrion crow nests in trees.

FINALIST: French connection - Joanna Sajnaj

Bluethroat - the ring was read in the spring of 2025 in Poland, in a Natura 2000 area near Poznań, and reported to Polring - the National Ringing Center. After 5 days, I received feedback - the bird had been ringed in France over 3.5 years earlier, and my reading was the first. The distance from the ringing site was 1,336 km.

FINALIST: White Storks at dusk - José A. Gil

This image is one of the few times when photographing nature was a case of arriving and striking gold. I had in mind to photograph White Storks in backlight against an unusual orange sunset background. On September 15, 2013, I decided to give it a try, and luck was on my side. My joy was doubled when I noticed that one of the photographed storks was ringed, after several ringing campaigns carried out by my colleagues from the Black Stork ringing group, who had been ringing chicks in that busy colony in the northern area of the San Roque Station (Cádiz, Spain).

WINNER: Flight code activated - Fabià Córdoba

The Little Owl spreads its silent and determined flight as evening falls, setting off in search of food. Its short, rounded wings allow it to maneuver skillfully among trees and rural buildings, reflecting its perfect adaptation to human-shaped landscapes. Observing a ringed individual in full flight not only reveals the beauty of this small nocturnal raptor but also provides valuable information for species monitoring and conservation programs. In this case, the photograph was taken right next to a nesting tower in an agricultural area of Lleida (Spain).

FINALIST: Christmas - Héctor Cordero

Winter is harsh for sedentary species such as the Northern Cardinal, as the heavy snow cover makes food scarce. At times, this species undertakes erratic migrations with no defined directional pattern. For this reason, scientists are ringing individuals to better understand these movements and to shed light on the mysteries that still surround bird migration.

FINALIST: Nordic - Alfredo B. Ramírez

This Lesser Black-backed Gull was ringed as a juvenile in Norway in 2015. Every year during the winter season, it faithfully returns to the beaches of Gijón (Spain).

WINNER: Snowfall - Antonio Mediavilla

An immature Bearded Vulture, probably originating from the species reintroduction project in the Picos de Europa (Spain), wanders through the Palencian mountains, braving the harsh winter conditions (December 2021).

FINALIST: An uncertain future - Aitor Gil

The pair of Egyptian Vultures that was once the most productive on Lanzarote (Canary Islands) now faces two consecutive years of breeding failure. Yet, their perseverance gives us a spark of hope for the survival of this endangered bird. Thanks to scientific banding, we can follow their story and better understand the challenges they face. This image captures a moment of fragility and resilience, inviting us to join efforts to safeguard their habitat and secure their future. The struggle for survival continues… Can we change their destiny?

FINALIST: The flight of the dragon- Eduard Villar

In the High Pyrenees, there is a network of Supplementary Feeding Points that support the conservation of scavenger birds. From a vantage point on the border between Pallars Jussà and Pallars Sobirà, thanks to this initiative that ensures a regular food supply for these birds -particularly Bearded Vultures-, we can enjoy watching them without causing any disturbance from a hide fully integrated into the landscape—observing and photographing them, while at the same time contributing, through the activity’s income, to the funding of various conservation projects.