Share your photos and stories for the 2025 Calendar!
King Eider and Thick-billed Murre Photo: Shirley Sword
Calling all photographers!
We’re looking for your favourite bird photos to be featured in the 2025 Birds Canada Calendar! We invite photographers to submit their photos. Whether you are an amateur, a professional, or a young person who has just encountered your “spark” bird, we would love to see your photos!
Pick up your camera and capture the birds in your backyard, favourite birding spots, or while engaging in one of Birds Canada’s Citizen Science volunteer projects.
The 2025 Calendar Photo will run from June 15 to July 15, 2024. Selected photos will be featured in our 2025 Calendar, and each featured photographer will receive three complimentary copies of the calendar.
Our aim is to highlight the incredible variety of species, habitats, and locations that reflect the diversity of Canada’s beloved birds. Some categories we will be focusing on include:
- Birds in their habitats
- Groups of birds (multi-species and single species)
- People birding
We can’t wait to see your beautiful photographs. Thank you for everything you do for birds!
** Please also note that we have chosen to not include photos of owls in our calendar. We know that most of our supporters practice responsible owl observation and photography, but we also know that owl species are subjected to harmful or even deadly disturbance by people every day. In an effort to discourage unethical photography practices and to help owl populations survive and thrive in the wild, we will not include photos of owls in the calendar.
Contest Rules:
How to Enter
The contest will be open from June 15, 2024, at 12:00 a.m. EST to July 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EST. Submit your photos at birdscanada.org/2025photos
Ensure your photo meets the size requirements of 10.5 inches by 8.5 inches or 3150 pixels by 2550 pixels with a dpi of 300. Photos taken by cell phone will not meet these size requirements.
Your entry must include your first and last name, the species featured, and the location and date the photograph was taken. Photo files submitted on the website should be named as follows: species_location_photographer first name – last name (e.g., Common_Murre-Jane-Photographer_NL).
Entrants must agree to the Birds Canada Media Use Agreement to be considered.
Winners will be selected by a panel of Birds Canada staff.
A Note About Ethical Photography Practices
Birds Canada encourages all birders and bird photographers to prioritize the wellbeing of birds and their habitats while enjoying your pursuits in nature. Giving birds the space they need to comfortably go about their natural behaviours is one way we can help them survive, thrive, and raise young, so that we can all continue to enjoy their presence into the future. If you notice a bird reacting to your presence, back away until it resumes what it was doing before or leave the area and take your photo another day. For more information on best practices for viewing and photographing birds please read the Code of Birding Ethics at birdscanada.org.
2025 Birds Canada Calendar Photo Submission FAQ
What size should my photo be?
Your photo should be 10.5 inches by 8.5 inches, or 3150 pixels by 2550 pixels, with a resolution of 300 dpi.
What file type should I use?
We accept photos in JPEG, PNG, or TIFF formats.
Should the photo be in landscape or portrait orientation?
Please submit your photo in landscape orientation.
Does the photo need to be taken within a certain timeframe?
No, there is no requirement for the photo to have been taken at a certain time.
Do you accept photos from outside Canada?
Yes, we accept photos taken from any location but priority is given to photos of birds found in Canada.
How can I get a copy of the calendar?
Ensure you’re on the list to receive your copy of the 2025 Birds Calendar by making a donation today.
How will my photos be used?
By submitting your photo, you are signing the Birds Canada Media Use Agreement, which grants permission for your photo to be used in Birds Canada communications and engagement efforts.
For any additional questions or further information, please contact Kate at kdalgleish @birdscanada.org. Thank you for contributing to the 2025 Birds Canada Calendar!
Review and sign the Birds Canada Media Use Agreement
Birds Canada Media Use Agreement
Key Points
- Media is defined as photographs, videos, graphics, or audio files.
- This Agreement is specific to the media created, produced, owned, and provided by the Owner to be used in Birds Canada print and online publications (including social media).
- The Owner retains copyright to the photographs.
- All usage of photographs by Birds Canada will be credited with the photographer’s name.
- Scope of Agreement: This Media Use Agreement is for all files (the “media file/s”, which could include photographs or any other image files, video files, audio files, and text files), voluntarily supplied by the Owner to Birds Canada. The Owner furthermore permits Birds Canada to use all media files they provide to Birds Canada in perpetuity. Should the Owner wish to terminate this arrangement, they are aware they need to inform Birds Canada in writing.
- Ownership: The Owner will retain full ownership, including copyright, of the media, and of all digital files, previews, galleries, and negatives.
- License for Use of Media: The Owner grants to Birds Canada a royalty-free, license, in perpetuity, to publish and use the media file(s), in print, video, audio recorded productions, and on the World Wide Web for non-profit/educational purposes, such as publicizing programs or other lawful purposes without payment or any other consideration. In addition, this license:
- Has use limitations: Birds Canada will not release the media to a commercial entity (unless media owner opts-in to this below).
- Is not exclusive: This agreement in no way prohibits the Owner from providing the media file(s) to others for their use, or prohibits the Owner from using the media file(s) for the Owner’s own purposes.
- Aligns with Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
- Examples of use: Birds Canada may use the materials in BirdWatch Canada magazine, Birds Canada annual calendar, Birds Canada websites (including birdscanada.org, oiseauxcanada.org, naturecounts.ca, motus.org), The Warblers podcast, Birds Canada Learning Management System, infographics, newsletters, educational videos, printed pamphlets, direct mail, educational presentations, email communications, and social media, including platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
- The Owner warrants that:
- The Owner is the sole author and sole owner of the copyright for the media file(s).
- The media file(s) is an original work (are original works), and not copied from another work.
- The media does not violate, infringe, or misappropriate any copyright, trade name, or other common law or statutory intellectual property right of a third party.
- Limitation of Liability: The Owner agrees to release, discharge, and to hold harmless Birds Canada, its representatives, assigns, employees, and agents, from any liability as a result of the publication or distribution of the media file(s), in whole or in part.
- Editing of media: The Owner agrees to allow Birds Canada to modify the media file(s) in any way for its purposes, at Birds Canada’s discretion, including but not limited to cropping or inverting of photos, changing aspect ratio for presentation, and shortening video clips.
- Attribution: Birds Canada agrees to credit the Owner by including the Owner’s name as indicated herein, adjacent to the published media file. The Owner’s name to be credited shall appear as instructed in this agreement.
- Age of majority: Persons who are not 18 years of age or older must have consent of a parent or guardian to submit their media.