As spring chases winter out, a new set of bird life may be appearing in your area. It’s an exciting time of year, for a wildlife or bird photographer. This week, we’ve gathered a list of truly incredible women who are crushing the bird photography game. From tight portraits to classic images of a soaring bird, you will see interesting images made on Sony cameras. Check out their work and give them a follow on Instagram. And share your bird images with us by tagging your posts with #SonyAlpha and follow @sonyalpha for your daily dose of Sony photo inspiration.

Follow these truly incredible women who are crushing the bird photography game.

Charly Savely – @charlysavely

Charly Savely is a member of the Sony Alpha Imaging Collective. She specializes in adventure/travel, wildlife and commercial photography. She combines her thirst for adventure with her love for photography to capture incredible images of wildlife. This outstanding image of a bald eagle is not only well photographed, it also tells a story about the natural history of the bird. Follow Savely for more incredible wildlife imagery!

Melissa Groo - @melissagroo

Outdoor photographer columnist, member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and wildlife advocate Melissa Groo is known as one of the best bird photographers around. She even created the National Audubon Society's Guide to Ethical Bird Photography. We love the image below that Groo made on the Sony Alpha 1 with the Sony 600mm f/4 G Master and Sony 2X Teleconverter. See her complete kit in What’s In My Bag: Conservation Photographer Melissa Groo’s Gear For Ethical Wildlife Photography.

Morgan Heim - @MoHeim

Morgan Heim is a wildlife photographer and filmmaker and member of the International League of Conservation Photographers. In 2019, Heim photographed a story on Chinese Crested Terns  for Audubon Magazine. The scene she found herself in was utter chaos, in her caption Heim describes, “Every foot or so, in any direction was a divot with either an egg or a chick… a wrong step meant the life of a bird, possibly one of the rarest birds on Earth. I still can't believe I managed to hold on to my camera as I tiptoed between the nests. I was afraid to breathe…As quickly as I could, I placed my camera, set the settings, and signaled I was ready. We retreated, and I proceeded to lie down in plants beyond the colony, where I monitored the activity on my phone and triggered it remotely.” Learn more about bird photography from Heim in Wildlife Pro Shares Her 6 Best Tips For Bird Photography.

Lydia Ripplinger – @lydebug

Lydia Ripplinger is a wildlife photographer based in Provo, Utah. Ripplinger’s goal with her photography is to bring animals' stories to life, helping educate and delight many who would never otherwise experience the raw, wild and beautiful animal side of nature. We love the framing in the image below, and of course that face! She likes to use the Sony Alpha 9 and Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G for her bird photography. See her complete kit in What’s In My Bag: 1 Zoom & 1 Prime For Photographing Birds & Other Wildlife and be sure to give her a follow for incredible wildlife images in your feed.

Martha Hidalgo - @hidalgowildlife.photography

Martha Hidalgo is a wildlife photographer and in 2020 she won a Sony Alpha Female Grant for her project, "Wildlife in The Midwest.” Hidalgo's ultimate goals for the project were twofold: to showcase the variety and beauty of the wildlife in the Midwest and to inspire other women to enter the world of wildlife photography. She geared up with the Sony Alpha 7R IV, Sony Alpha 9 and Sony Alpha 7R III cameras. For lenses she used the Sony 600mm f/4 G Master, the Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master and the Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G and created a stunning project! See the resulting images HERE.

Karine Aigner - @kaigner

Photographer Karine Aigner began her career as a photo editor at National Geographic. She then transitioned to wildlife and conservation photography, where she has become well-known, winning many major awards. We love the personality in the image below! Give Aigner a follow for more stunning imagery in your feed.

Katie Bryden - @ktbryden

Wildlife filmmaker Katie Bryden is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers. She lives in Florida and works on conservation issues across the state, using stories to help protect wild places. We love the clip in the Reel below. It really showcases the majesty of the heron. Give Bryden a follow to stay up to date on all things Florida wildlife. 

Lana Tannir - @lanatannirphoto

Lana Tannir is a wildlife and nature photographer, a member of Girls Who Click, and a National Geographic Explorer, Tannir specializes in gorgeous bird imagery. We love this tight shot of the bird and its feathers, it’s an interesting look at a bird that we won’t often see. The tight composition creates an intimate feel, that is often lacking with long lens photography. Tannir shot this image on her Sony Alpha 7R IV. Learn more from Tannir in her article, 5 Pro Tips For Bird Photography.

Eva Dorman - @evadormanphotography

Eva Dorman is a Sony photographer who enjoys documenting nature, birds and landscapes. On her Instagram account you will see she has photographed a great variety of birds and other animals. We were fascinated by the great image below, so frequently we see isolated images of owls, but seeing this great horned owl being pursued by a crow was a new view for us!