Audubon Photography Awards 2027
Audubon's annual awards are the most prominent bird-focused photography competition in North America, with a Grand Prize of US$5,000 plus an Antarctic voyage with HX Expeditions in 2026. The 2026 winners were announced on 2 September 2026: Jacqueline Burke took the US and Canada Grand Prize for a Roseate Spoonbill and Francisco Castro Escobar the Chile and Colombia Grand Prize for a Lesser Horned Owl. Audubon states that the 2027 Audubon Photography Awards open for entries on 13 January 2027; the 2027 rules, fees and prizes were not yet published on 7 November 2026. The 2026 rules banned AI-generated images and videos outright, allowed normal processing of the original file and required original files on request.
- Deadline
- —
- Entry fee
- 2027 fees not yet published; the 2026 contest charged US$15 per image or video, free for the Youth division (ages 13 to 17)
- Opens
- January 13, 2027
Authenticity policy
AI policy
AI-generated images are not eligible. Normal processing of the original file is acceptable.
RAW files
You will be required to provide Audubon with original image files (RAW, jpg, etc.) in the timeframe provided upon request (generally within 7 days).
Editing rules
Quoted from the 2026 Official Contest Rules, which are the rules published on the Audubon site as of 7 November 2026; the 2027 rules are expected when entries open on 13 January 2027. Judges score on Technical Quality (33 percent), Originality (33 percent) and Artistic Merit (34 percent). Normal processing of the original file is permitted; AI-generated images and videos are not. Entrants must supply original image files (RAW, JPG) on request, generally within seven days, or risk disqualification.
Verified on November 7, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- Does Audubon Photography Awards 2027 allow AI-generated images?
- No. Audubon Photography Awards 2027 does not permit AI-generated images in its competition entries.
- Are RAW files required to enter Audubon Photography Awards 2027?
- Finalists may be asked to supply their RAW files for verification.
- How much does it cost to enter Audubon Photography Awards 2027?
- 2027 fees not yet published; the 2026 contest charged US$15 per image or video, free for the Youth division (ages 13 to 17)
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