Burrowing Owl Photo Contest | Give it your best shot
Enjoy capturing photos of wildlife or can’t get enough of the city’s official bird? The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will accept entries for its fifth annual Burrowing Owl Photo Contest starting May 1.
The non-profit organization committed to protecting the city’s wildlife is looking for the best the public has to offer when it comes to pictures of the city’s official bird.
Photo contest submissions need to be in by May 17, and the grand prize winner will have their photo used on CCFW’s 2027 official Burrowing Owl Festival T-shirt. The contest is open exclusively to amateur photographers, who must self-certify their eligibility upon entry.
“This is one of our favorite events for several reasons,” said CCFW spokesperson Janet Windisch. “The photos submitted to us are always so beautiful. The talent and enthusiasm of local photographers is truly inspiring. We are also always excited to see the photo chosen as the grand prize winner because it will be featured on next year’s Burrowing Owl Festival T-shirt. The 2027 festival will be our 25th annual, so it will be especially special.”
There are two division categories for the contest: amateur youth (7 to 17) and amateur adult. No professional photographer can enter the contest.
“This is a great opportunity for young photographers and wildlife lovers to put their photos on display,” Windisch said. “CCFW hopes that encouraging young people to participate will help them appreciate and love wildlife as we do. The youth of today will be the stewards of our environment in the future.”
Participants may submit just one photo.
Permitted photo editing is limited to the following: Crop; make minor adjustments to color, white balance, lighting levels and curves, shadows and highlight, saturation, contrast, sharpness; moderate dodging and burning; removal of dust sports and moderate reduction of image noise. Photographs that have been digitally or otherwise altered beyond standard optimization will be disqualified.
Windisch said Pelican Baseball Complex and the Cape Coral Lee County Public Library are great spots to capture photos.
“Mornings are usually the best time for owl viewing, because they frequently retreat into their burrows to escape the heat of the afternoon,” she added.
In years past, CCFW has received more than 100 submissions and always looks forward to seeing the different ways the city’s favorite bird is captured.
“We are always amazed at the great shots submitted,” Windisch said. “Some of them are breathtaking, some are cute, and some are amusing. It’s also interesting to see where the owls are — at their nest, on front porches, fire hydrants, road signs.”
Judging will be conducted by a CCFW-appointed panel that includes expert photographers. Judges will score eligible photographs on technical quality (30%), originality (30%), and artistic merit (40%).
A final group of pictures will be passed along to judges who are Cape Coral City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn, NBC2 Meteorologist Rob Duns, and last year’s photo contest winner, Darlene Coughlin.
There will be first-, second-, and third-place prizes given to the highest-scoring photograph from the adult division and youth division. Prizes include CCFW swag and a one-year membership to the group.
CCFW encourages every photographer to practice responsible bird photography. Prior to submitting any photograph, participants are strongly encouraged to read Audubon’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography and Videography. A photograph that appears to the sponsor or judges to reflect a harmful situation is not eligible for submission, and if submitted, will be disqualified at CCFW’s sole discretion.
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing habitats for protected wildlife species while educating the community about Cape Coral’s unique wildlife resources.
“Hopefully, the contest provides a little incentive to get outdoors and enjoy the local wildlife,” Windisch said. “Once you spend a little time watching the owls, you can learn about their habits. Sometimes you’ll see sand flying as they clean out their burrows. Sometimes you’ll notice bits of trash and debris around the nest-that’s called ‘decorating the nest,’ and owls do it for a number of reasons during nesting season. It’s normal, so don’t be tempted to clean up the trash. Sometimes we get photos or owls eating insects or feeding their young which is really neat.”
Winners will be revealed during a special awards ceremony on May 30 at noon at Rotary Park.
Photo contest submissions
Photo contest submissions need to be in by May 17, and the grand prize winner will have their photo used on CCFW’s 2027 official Burrowing Owl Festival T-shirt. The contest is open exclusively to amateur photographers, who must self-certify their eligibility upon entry.
There are two division categories for the contest: amateur youth (7 to 17) and amateur adult. No professional photographer can enter the contest.
Participants may submit just one photo.
Permitted photo editing is limited to the following: Crop; make minor adjustments to color, white balance, lighting levels and curves, shadows and highlight, saturation, contrast, sharpness; moderate dodging and burning; removal of dust sports and moderate reduction of image noise. Photographs that have been digitally or otherwise altered beyond standard optimization will be disqualified.
For full contest rules, prize details, more information on CCFW, and to enter the photo contest, visit ccfriendsofwildlife.org.
To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com