Capturing great shots while the birds are keeping still on a branch or on the ground can sometimes be quite the challenge, but it becomes increasingly difficult when they are in flight.
We know that bird photography often requires specialized lenses, as well as a lot of trial and error, and of course, keeping still and hiding in order not to scare the birds away. Below are 40 examples of photos of birds in flight. You will of course notice that many of those photos show the bird against a blue sky, which is to be expected with bird photos, but the real challenge comes with creating a great composition and ensuring that you capture an interesting moment.
Don’t forget to check out our article on photographing birds and nature [1] when the lighting conditions are not so perfect.
Great Blue Heron
[2]
Photo by Jamie McCaffrey
Northern Shovelers In Flight
[3]
Photo by Peter Massas
British Airways
[4]
Photo by Modestas Jonauskas
Dove
[5]
Photo by Paul Chiorean
Jacobin Cuckoo
[6]
Photo by Koshy Koshy
Black-crowned Night Heron
[7]
Photo by Andy Morffew
Bald Eagle
[8]
Photo by Andy Morffew
Flying Cocoi Heron
[9]
Photo by Tambako The Jaguar
Hummingbird
[10]
Photo by William Brawley
Black-crowned Night Heron
[11]
Photo by Andy Morffew
Flight
[12]
Photo by Travis Wise
Common Shelduck in Flight
[13]
Photo by Ferran Pestaña
Bald Eagle in Mid-Air Flight
[14]
Photo by Ragamuffin Brian
Owl in Flight
[15]
Photo by dingopup
Vol de Perroquets
[16]
Photo by Jean-Raphaël Guillaumin
Caspian Catch
[17]
Photo by Ingrid Taylar
A Matter of Perspective
[18]
Photo by Rodney Campbell
Chroicocephalus Ridibundus
[19]
Photo by Hanna Sörensson
Puffin – Fratercula Arctica
[20]
Photo by óskar elías sigurðsson
I Saw A Goose
Photo by Randen Pederson
Brown Pelican Overhead
[21]
Photo by bvi4092
Parrots
[22]
Photo by 白士 李
Colors In The Sky
[23]
Photo by Maarten Nijman
Condor
[24]
Photo by Belinda Grasnick
The Bird Show of Blue & Yellow Macaw
[25]
Photo by Takashi Hososhima
Stalking My Prey… Kingfisher
[26]
Photo by Keshav Mukund Kandhadai
Cardinal in Flight
[27]
Photo by Richard Hurd
Flying
[28]
Photo by Alessandro Caproni
Seagoing Heron
[29]
Photo by Jan
Taking Down the Moon
Photo by photophilde
Full Speed Ahead
[30]
Photo by Susanne Nilsson
Anna’s Hummingbird – Rear View
[31]
Photo by Noël Zia Lee
Flying Eagle Owl
[32]
Photo by Hans Splinter
Bird
[33]
Photo by huees
Barn Owl in Flight
[34]
Photo by wplynn
Hello Ladies
[35]
Photo by Erik Charlton
Flying Eagle
[36]
Photo by Tambako The Jaguar
Dive
[37]
Photo by Paul Chiorean
Great Blue Heron
[38]
Photo by Peter Massas
Silent Hunter
Photo by photophilde
I hope you enjoyed this round-up of great birds in flight photographs and that it inspired you to get out there and capture those wonderful animals.