Get out of here! An angry bird showing its friend where to go, a kangaroo playing air guitar and an owl that’s lost the will to live make the final in hilarious Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
- From bears waving to kangaroos strutting the tango, photographers have captured some incredible images
From bears waving back at photographers, to kangaroos and stallions strutting the tango, the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has captured some of Mother Nature’s most incredible moments.
Open for free to both amateur and professional wildlife photographers, the competition celebrates the sheer hilarity of the natural world whilst highlighting the need to protect this incredible wildlife.
The contest was founded by Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam back in 2015, and has now grown to become a globally renowned competition seen by millions of people every year.
Now, the finalists for this year’s competition have been announced, and from flying seals to perplexed dragonflies, all manner of creature makes up the ranks.
Explained by some of the incredible photographers who snapped the animals’ extraordinary expressions, MailOnline looks at the contenders vying for the top prize.
Dispute by Jacek Stankiewicz from Kraków, Poland: ‘I caught this scene while watching birds in the Bialowieza Forest. Young greenfinch was still fed by parents. However, from time to time birds looked like having argument. My friends interpret this scene in two ways. 1 A young naughty kid is arguing with a parent. 2. One kid is reporting to the parent that its brother did something wrong: look he has broken the glass in the window’
Picture me! Picture me!! by Dikla Gabriely from Yokneam, Israel: ‘A brown bear in Finland who definitely did everything to make me pay attention to him and focus on him and not the other bears’
Now-that’s-a-selfie by Jaroslaw Kolacz from Poland: ‘Swan on the beach was very interested in me’
Air Guitar Roo by Jason Moore from Perth, Australia: ‘I was driving past a mob of Western Grey Kangaroos feeding in an open field that was filled with attractive yellow flowers. I had my camera with me, so I stopped to grab a few photos. I suddenly noticed this individual adopt a humorous pose – to me it looks like he’s practising strumming on his Air Guitar’
Monday Blahs by John Blumenkamp from Salt Lake City, United States: ‘This Great Gray Owl spent most of the afternoon posing majestically and looking, well, wise. But for a moment or two after doing some elegant stretching, he/she would slump and give a look of ‘is Monday over yet?’
Teddy Buddies by Thomas Vijayan from Ontario, Canada: ‘At Katmai National Park, Grizzly bears are in abundance and hence it is photographers paradise. However, the challenge here is clicking a unique frame. This image is full of expressions and proper eye contact by both the bears hence it is a perfect frame of love and friendship. To get this image I lied down flat on the water and stayed there for a long waiting for the right moment to click’
Singing In The Rain by Kate Stevenson from Uphall, United Kingdom: ‘During an heavy downpour I happened to look out the window to watch the rain. I spotted this lovely pigeon resting waiting for a break in the shower. I grabbed the camera to capture some shots and as I did it started stretching its neck and opening it’s mouth, like it was trying to catch the rain drops. It was really sweet to watch and I love how this image looks like it is mid chorus and I like to imagine it had “I’m singing in the rain” running through its mind (which happens to be one of my favourite movies!). Gene Kelly reincarnated as a wood piegon – they are rather dashing birds as if dressed in a suit and neck scarf’
Cheeky Baboon by Benard Omwaka from Nakuru City, Kenya: ‘Took my time to watch a family of baboons at Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. There were many funny interactions. In this photo, a mischievous baby baboon plays a game of ‘catch me if you can’ with its patient mother. In this photo the baby baboon was very playful while the mother was trying to groom it. The baby baboon tried getting away severally and this pic is the mother holding it by the ear and the baby with a funny face and mouth wide open looking at the camera. The mother very calm looking the other way. There were other baboons playing around. With a playful tug-of-war between motherly duty and the baby’s adventurous spirit, this endearing scene captures the untamed joy of the wild’
That wasn’t here yesterday!! by Wendy Kaveney from Buckeye, United States: ‘A white-winged dove appearing to fly head-on into a cholla cactus skeleton’
Flossing Beaver by Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven from Wichita Falls, United States: ‘Even beavers floss before and after every meal!’
Walk like an Egyptian Goose by Allen Holmes from Rotherham, United Kingdom: ‘A territorial Avocet wasn’t too happy about this Egyptian Goose arriving early to place a towel on it’s sunbed. Fortunately the avocet was a master in the art of Kung-Fu’
Look at right Bro… by Pratick Mondal from Nagpur, India: ‘I was searching for Jackle in the jungle which was at an isolated place. I sat at a place and waited for Jackle. Then I saw a Macaque come out of the jungle and started itching its armpit keeping its hand straight and at the same time, a deer also appeared behind the Macaque. Previsualise the image captured the moment’
Directions Please: ‘No, I told you they went that way!’ by Jodi Frediani from Santa Cruz, United States: ‘A large group of gentoo penguins were returning from sea, when suddenly a lone chinstrap appeared among them. The gestures in this confrontation are so recognisable, it was easy to surmise their conversation going like this: ‘”Are you sure my family didn’t go this way?”, “No, I told you they went that way!”‘
Boing! by Lara Mathews from Melbourne, Australia: ‘Taken at Westerfolds Park, a beautiful and surprisingly wild pocket of land in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, famous for its kangaroo population. The mob was enjoying some morning sunshine when this joey decided to get silly and try his hand at boxing’
Mona Lisa Smile by Vince Maiden from Canada: ‘This Snowy Owl landed outside my house as I was watching a movie, I opened the window and popped a lens out and made this image. Always liked the silly face it made so getting it with a straight on look was a bonus’
The Rainforest Dandy by Delphine Casimir from Brussels, Belgium: ‘This picture was taken in the monkey forest in Ubud, Bali. This place is a crazy place where monkeys are king! sometimes they give a show, sometimes, they climb on you to look for fleas or steal the piece of biscuit you are trying to eat’
Go To Your Room Little Brother! by Mark Schocken from Tampa, United States: ‘Two great horned owlets interacting with one another in west-central Florida. Mama owl had briefly left the palm-tree nest to get some rest from these hyperactive, soon-to-be fledglings. They were flapping their wings and showing affection for each other. However, in this image, while one of them was extending a wing, it just looked like it was scolding its sibling, hence the caption’
Fellowship by Dario Podesta from Puerto Madryn, Argentina: ‘Three King Penguins coming out of the water holding hands’
Unexpected plunge by Vittorio Ricci from Genova, Italy: ‘An unusual and almost miserable end of a perfect moment, previously prepared, for a successful fishing’
Don’t look down by Brian Matthews from Hartlepool, United Kingdom: ‘A puffin does an inverted snoopy impression while watching jelly fish’
Hang Loose by Christian Hargasser from Dingolfing, Germany: ‘It was already half past six in the evening and almost dark… I caught this very short moment when I did this funny sitting position in the middle of playing’
Everyone can fly by Adrian Slazok from Chorzów, Poland: ‘The photo shows a gray seal. I took them in November 2018 on the east coast of England. In late autumn, seals leave the North Sea to give birth to their young’
Fake news! by Matti Rauvala from Sonka, Finland: ‘Sulawesi macaque reading news’
Living the Moment by Kawing Chiu from Staten Island, United States: ‘Relax, lay back and enjoy the warm sun… This seal is scratching its face and it is seen lying on the side while his head is supported by his flipper. This image makes the seal like the reclining Buddha statue’
Just a kiss by Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon from Montmeyran, France: ‘This young chacma baboon is sitting on it’s mother back playing the fool’
Otter Ballerinas by Otter Kwek from Singapore: ‘An arabesque smooth coated otter’
Doing the Tango by Danny Sullivan from San Dimas, United States: ‘These two stallions show off their athletic abilities while fighting each other. No horses were hurt doing the Tango’
‘Excuse me sir but I think you’re a little too young to be smoking’ by Dakota Vaccaro from Victor, United States: ‘While I was working deep in the Virginian woods, a family of grey foxes took up residence under the deck of the abandoned cottage next to my work housing. One day while practicing their hunting skills on bits of moss and branches, one of the kits lunged at a small chunk of wood and started rolling around with his prize. Tired after his hunt the kit lounged on his belly still holding the wood in his mouth which gave the strong resemblance of a cigar. I was very envious of the kit at this moment cause who wouldn’t want to just lay around all day relaxing’
Scream by Sergey Savvi from Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation: ‘The lemur can’t hold his emotions’
I don’t know by Jakub Wozny from Warta, Poland: ‘I took this photo during a beautiful sunrise. The dragonfly was sitting on a horsetail surrounded by dew, and cleaning itself’
The Happy Turtle by Tzahi Finkelstein from Tel Aviv, Israel: ‘The swamp turtle is surprised and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose’
The Cabaret Bear by Khurram Khan from Piscataway, United States: ‘This polar bear cub found this drugt wood pretty amusing and was playing it when it suddenly stopped and stood up using it almost like a performer does at times’
Air Apparent by Paul Goldstein from Wimbledon, United Kingdom: ‘I know it isn’t a bird and technically it does not have the faculty of flight …. but, you cannot fault this leopard’s effort to get airborne. Actually she was being bothered by three young cheetahs and in particularly poor temper as the pose indicates’
Angry Bird by Michael Erwin from Stoke-On-Trent, United Kingdom: ‘A little owl stare as only they can’
Ready steady go by Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon from Montmeyran, France: ‘The mother polar bear is pushing her hesitant young into the water with her leg’
Right of Way by Brandi Romano from Kihei, United States: ‘At the sandbar in Moorea, ocean dwellers practice the right of way to the more dominant species’
Oh my, talk about poking your nose into someone else’s business! by Bill Gozansky from North Carolina, United States: ‘An unusual configuration of giraffes at a waterhole in the Onguma Game Reserve in Namibia, Africa’
Part of Your World by Danielle Goonan New York City United States: ‘This trip to the Seychelles was my first big trip after getting scuba certified. Caught this on one of the dives’
Shall we dance? by Wayne Sorensen from Miami, Australia: ‘That awkward moment when you first ask someone to dance. These ‘Pretty Faced Wallabies’ enjoy a playful sparring session on the beach in North Queensland Australia’
The First Steps by Wayne Sorensen from Miami, Australia: ‘It’s paw to paw action as a pair of ‘Pretty Faced Wallabies’ cautiously approach each other in some playtime on the beach’
The Two Step by Wayne Sorensen from Miami, Australia: ‘Heads back. Arms out. Now it’s time for the two step as these wallabies take their dance to the next level’
The Tango by Wayne Sorensen from Miami, Australia: ‘It’s tango time! It all comes together for these two wallabies as they find their groove on the dance floor. Well, the beach anyway’
I finally learned to fly…or not?! by Tãmea Ambrus from Budapest, Hungary: ‘The ground squirrel jumped as if he could fly. Unfortunately he has no wings. To his surprise he fell back to the ground’
I finally learned to fly…or not?! by Tãmea Ambrus from Budapest, Hungary: ‘The ground squirrel jumped as if he could fly. Unfortunately he has no wings. To his surprise he fell back to the ground’
I finally learned to fly…or not?! by Tãmea Ambrus from Budapest, Hungary: ‘The ground squirrel jumped as if he could fly. Unfortunately he has no wings. To his surprise he fell back to the ground’
I finally learned to fly…or not?! by Tãmea Ambrus from Budapest, Hungary: ‘The ground squirrel jumped as if he could fly. Unfortunately he has no wings. To his surprise he fell back to the ground’
The Floral Feast Chronicles by Alex Pansier from Oss, Netherlands: ‘From the surprised expressions of the caught-in-the-act culprits to the determined munchers and the territorial nibblers, these candid moments offer a delightful glimpse into the playful and sometimes competitive world of these furry floral aficionados’
The Floral Feast Chronicles by Alex Pansier from Oss, Netherlands: ‘This charming collection of photographs captures a quartet of mischievous ground squirrels, each engaging in their own hilarious antics as they attempt to nibble on a colorful assortment of flowers’
The Floral Feast Chronicles by Alex Pansier from Oss, Netherlands: ‘From the surprised expressions of the caught-in-the-act culprits to the determined munchers and the territorial nibblers, these candid moments offer a delightful glimpse into the playful and sometimes competitive world of these furry floral aficionados’
The Floral Feast Chronicles by Alex Pansier from Oss, Netherlands: ‘This charming collection of photographs captures a quartet of mischievous ground squirrels, each engaging in their own hilarious antics as they attempt to nibble on a colorful assortment of flowers’
One for the family album by Zoe Ashdown from Weston Super Mare, United Kingdom: ‘With one having returned to the nest, the Northern Gannets had greeted each other with normal beak rubbing. Whilst firing off a load of shots to capture that encounter, they stopped and looked over, and at that moment this image was captured forever. How proud do they look with their chick between them!’
Snowball! by Jacques Poulard from Craponne, France: ‘A grouse is coming to me in a very cold winter’
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