The Aim: The Perfect Photograph Of A Bird

Environmental & Science Education
STEM
Art and Environment
Biodiversity
Ed Hessler

The annual photographic entries to the National Audubon Society simply get better and better. This year's entries push the proverbial envelope yet again.

I suppose the only thing missing is the thing that can't be captured: the perseverance and patience of the photographers, although one is mentioned.

This short video of some of the entries features Sabine Meyer, the photographic editor of the National Audubon Society who describes the search for the perfect and also the ethics of bird photography.

And here is a very short video of that tug-of war: rabbit (food) in the middle and eagle and fox - diners at the Cafe Wild - at opposite ends. The fox is not fully grown, a kit, which explains how the eagle managed to pull this off although the bird was likely at its lifting capacity (perhaps 5 to 6 pounds or 2.26 to 2.72 kg). Roaring Earth breaks the sequence down.  The fox hit the ground hard enough to raise some dust.

The behavior of the eagle has a technical term: kleptoparasitism. Stealing. Eagles are very good at this.