Η photo of a roadrunner bird blocked by the US border wall wins a 2021 best bird photo contest.
It may not fit the Iguru theme, but we were impressed and we pass it on. After all, as an ecological issue, it is not far from our borders. In the Bird Photographer of 2021 competition, which won the best bird theme photo, the photo above (Roadrunner Blocked by US Border Wall) won first prize.
It shows one bird roadrunner, or in Greek a geococcus, to be blocked by the wall built by the USA on its border with Mexico. This particular bird runs extremely fast but cannot fly due to its small wings.
Bird Photographer of the Year is a global photographer contest designed to celebrate the beauty and diversity of birds. Entrants compete for a grand prize of £5.000 as well as other prizes including photographic equipment from Olympus and binoculars from Swarovski Optik. The competition is open to residents of any area and to participants of any ages. There are eight categories to enter and the competition is open to anyone who wishes to apply.
This year, Mexican photographer Alejandro Prieto took first place in the competition for the picture of a roadrunner on the US-Mexico border. He was declared the winner of both the Birds in the Environment category and the first prize winner.
The 3.000-kilometer U.S.-Mexico border crosses and covers some of the continent's most biologically diverse regions. It is home to uniquely adapted mammals, reptiles, birds and plants, some of which are found nowhere else on the planet. Many species will be affected if the US government decides to build a wall on its border with Mexico. Border infrastructure not only impedes the movement of wildlife but also destroys and fragmented the habitat. Many desert animals are, to some extent, nomadic wanderers and a wall will cut off habitat connectivity and prevent them from moving freely from one place to another. In this photo, a large Roadrunner approaches the border wall in Naco, Arizona, looking at it almost with a sense of confusion.
"The border wall crosses deserts, mountains and even mangroves (these are roots that grow above the ground and form large bushes). "It's not just a desert, it's actually a very biodiversity place, with more than 1.500 species of animals and plants threatened by the wall," says Prieto. "I have watched many different animals reach the wall and turn back."
"The border wall is a real threat to biodiversity in the area through habitat fragmentation," said Bird Photographer of the Year. "It naturally excludes critical migration routes for animals, such as long-horned sheep, hornbills, black bears, bison and even jaguars."
The photo was chosen as the winner because it is not a typical bird photo but because it has a strong story to tell.
"The roadrunner looks so vulnerable, facing the huge border wall that dominates the frame," the organization continues.
If you want to see the other photos of the competition as well as which ones won the other prizes, you can see them here.
