When professional nature photographer Liron Gertsman heard about white-tailed tropicbirds nesting in the caldera walls of an active volcano, he packed his full-frame mirrorless camera, telephoto lens, and traveled to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai'i, United States. On the trip, he captured the now award-winning image of the tropicbird rising above volcanic gases and glowing red lava.
Gertsman explains, "I spent 10 days scouting and waiting at the Halema'uma'u Crater before the Kīlauea volcano erupted. White gases on the left of the photo are primarily water vapor and carbon dioxide; the blue gas on the top right is sulfur dioxide; the brown dust is volcanic ash; and red lava glows on the right. The birds nest in the crater's cracks, safe from predators, and use the thermals generated from the volcano’s heat to gain lift as they fly out to gather food. "
This spectacular shot has been honored as the winner in the Birds in Landscape category at the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards – a competition celebrating photographers who use their skills to highlight the beauty, challenges and threats facing birds across Chile, Colombia, Canada and the United States. You can explore all 2026 winning images here.
Birds in Landscapes Winner
Contest: United States and Canada
Species: White-tailed Tropicbird
Location: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Hawai‘i, United States
Gear: Canon EOS R5 + Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Exposure: 1/2500 sec, f/16, ISO 2500
Bird Lore
Tropicbirds are beautiful, long-tailed seabirds that range throughout the world’s oceans, mainly in the tropics. Seldom seen from mainland shores, they raise young on oceanic islands.
The White-tailed Tropicbird, the smallest and most widespread of three species, usually tucks its nest into a cavity among rocks.
On many islands, these sites are most readily found among layers of volcanic rock – including, at times, around still-active volcanoes, leading to remarkable scenes.
Judge’s Take (Sadie Hine)
"This was easily the most dramatic landscape we saw this year. I can clearly visualize this tropicbird weaving through this unforgiving environment.
"This sense of movement – paired with a wide perspective and the powerful role of volcanic activity in shaping unique ecosystems – makes this image memorable. "
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