#torresdelpainenationalpark

Birds in Landscapes, Chile.

Photographer: Timothy Dhalleine

Contest: Chile and Colombia

Species: Crested Caracara

Location: Torres del Paine National Park, Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, Chile

Camera: Nikon Z6 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR Lensat 41mm; 1/400 second at f/5; ISO 320

"Behind the Shot: I live in the Chilean Patagonia and spend my time exploring Torres del Paine National Park. I’ve seen this place in all its facets, and yet it always manages to surprise me. That particular morning, I was hoping to photograph the sunrise when I came across a couple of Crested Caracaras seemingly gazing at the mountain range. People often dismiss this species as a scavenger and rarely stop to observe its more intimate behaviors. I’d like all park visitors to remember that we share these breathtaking landscapes with countless forms of life that deserve our respect and consideration.

Bird Lore: Although caracaras belong to the falcon family, their habits are strikingly different from those of their faster-flying relatives. Crested Caracaras, the most familiar species, are widespread in open country from the tip of South America to the southern United States. They often feed as scavengers, joining vultures to dine on carrion, but they are also versatile hunters, catching everything from rodents and birds to snakes and scorpions. In addition to watching for prey from a perch or while flying, these long-legged raptors may walk on the ground to seek large insects or wade into shallow water to catch fish.

Judge’s Take (Sebastian Herzog): The Torres del Paine landscape has been photographed so many times that it’s very difficult to capture it in an original and fresh way. This photographer succeeded in doing so in an extraordinary manner by creating a unique composition that looks as if it were a masterpiece painting of the Romantic period. The reflection of the peaks on the lagoon in the background creates a visual association with the two caracaras in the foreground. The birds seem like they’re posing for the camera."

Source: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/2026-audubon-photography-awards-winners

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